Gloria Carnes
HAR extends condolences to family, friends and colleagues of longtime member Gloria Carnes, who died on Friday, January 17, 2020 at the age of 80. Gloria served The Woodlands area as a REALTOR® for more than 40 years until her retirement in 2018. Gloria most recently had worked for Waterway Realty. Prior to that brokerage, she worked with RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring as well as Century 21. The family held a private service to honor her.
Lane Pearson
HAR extends condolences to family, friends and colleagues of member Lane Fenly Pearson, who died on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the age of 70. Lane was a top-producing agent since 1991, working for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene in Sugar Land at the time of her passing. Named the HAR/Fort Bend County Outstanding Realtor® for 2017, Lane served in leadership roles with the HAR/Fort Bend Political Affairs Leadership and Women’s Council of Realtors® (WCR) Fort Bend Chapter as well as the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce.
Lane was a three-time Gary Greene Silver Performance Award winner, a member of Who’s Who in Houston for outstanding professional and civic achievement. She also participated in fundraising efforts for the Fort Bend Women’s Center and served as chair of the Gillman Charity Golf Tournament for more than 15 years.
Funeral arrangements had not been finalized as of magazine publication.
Mary Starr
HAR extends condolences to family, friends and colleagues of longtime member Mary Ruth Starr, who died on January 27, 2020 in Houston at the age of 83. Mary, of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties, was a member of the Bay Area Board of REALTORS® and served on the Houston Association of REALTORS® board after the boards merged.
Mary was born Nov. 4, 1936, in Monmouth, Illinois, to Carmen (Johnson) and Myles Costello. She graduated in 1954 from Monmouth-Roseville High School, Monmouth. Afterward, she attended Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. On Dec. 27, 1955, she married George Raphael Starr at St. Augustine Church. On Jan. 27, 1957, Mary gave birth to her only daughter, Catherine, in Monmouth. In 1960, the family moved to Chicago and in 1965, they moved again to Galveston, Texas. In 1974, her marriage ended, and she moved to Webster, Texas. She moved to Pearland in 1982.
Mary became interested in real estate while working for a broker in Galveston. She got her real estate broker’s license and started her first company, Starr Realco. With her business partner, David Miller, she became the Realtor – broker/owner of Pear Land Properties Inc. in Pearland, Texas, from 1979 to 1988 and Prudential – Pearland Properties/Prudential Allied from 1988 to 2007. She continued as a Realtor/associate broker for Prudential Gary Greene/Premier Properties from 2007 to 2014 and for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties from 2014 to 2020.
Mary was very active in several REALTOR® organizations and held many leadership positions. These include HAR; Texas Association of REALTORS®, past director; National Association of REALTORS®, past director; Gulf Coast Board of REALTORS®, chairman and past president; and Bay Area Women’s Council of REALTORS®, past president. She was passionate about her involvement with these organizations and enjoyed her many leadership roles. For the City of Pearland, she was a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission. She was also a member of the League of Women Voters in Galveston and the Catholic Daughters of America, Court of St. Helen, for which she was treasurer for several years.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Catherine Starr, who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; her sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Bill Martin and their sons Greg, Bill and Mike; her business partner, David Miller, and countless friends and colleagues.
Funeral services were held on February 6, 2020, at St. Helen Catholic Church in Pearland. On March 28, 2020, a private family memorial will take place at St. Augustine Cemetery in St. Augustine, Illinois. Her ashes will be interred with her parents, near where eight generations of her family who attended St. Augustine Church and are buried in this cemetery.
