Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 04:11:03 :
Marin Independent Journal
Saturday, September 28, 1985
CONSTANCE STARBIRD
Constance Starbird of Belvedere, a former Marin County “Teacher of the Year,” died Thursday at her residence after a lengthy illness. She was 58.
The former Constance Pfund was born in San Francisco and spent many of her early years in Alaska. She returned to the Bay Area as a teen-ager.
She received a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s degree in early childhood and special education from Sonoma State University.
She worked with pre-school youngsters at centers in Marin for many years, beginning in 1967. The centers, run by the county education office, provide day care and training for low-income families.
It was her idea to train and employ mentally retarded people to work as aides in the child-care centers, a program that became very successful.
In 1980, Mrs. Starbird went to Thailand to work with Kampuchean refugee children. She developed a pre-school program for more than 1,200 children and 100 teachers.
Two years later, she taught at Mother Teresa’s Mission of Charity in Haiti.
She was named Marin County’s teacher of the year for 1983-1984.
Mrs. Starbird is survived by her husband, Roy Starbird of Belvedere; a son, Hunter Starbird of Sausalito; a daughter, Mia Starbird-Valentine of Los Altos; her mother, Christine Pfund of San Francisco; and two sisters, Christine Dewey of Belvedere and Lucy Martell of Los Altos.
Arrangements are being handled by Russell & Gooch Funeral Chapel in Mill Valley. A memorial gathering will be held at a later date.
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