Funeral services for Mary Frances Starnes, 76, of Hanceville will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday April 21st at Hanceville Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow the service at Garden City Cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the service from 1:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. at Hanceville Funeral Home.

Mrs. Starnes was born July 18, 1949 in Blount County, Alabama to the late John & Mary Martin.

Frances Starnes, lovingly known to all as “Granny,” passed away on April 19, 2026. She was a woman whose life was defined by kindness, warmth, and an open heart that never turned anyone away.

To know Frances was to know comfort. Her door was always open—whether you needed a warm meal, a listening ear, or simply a place to sit and feel at home. She had a way of making everyone feel like family, and in truth, that’s exactly how she saw them. Blood relation never mattered to her; if you walked through her door, you belonged.

“Granny” was more than a name—it was a role she embraced with her whole heart. She offered love freely, gave without hesitation, and made lasting impressions on generations of people who were blessed to know her. Her home was filled with laughter, stories, and the kind of love that stays with you long after you leave.

She leaves behind a legacy of compassion, generosity, and love. Though she will be deeply missed, the countless lives she touched will carry her memory forward in the simple acts of kindness she lived by each day.

Her family takes comfort in knowing that her spirit lives on in every open door, every shared meal, and every moment of love given freely—just as she taught them.

Mrs. Starnes is survived by her husband, Leon Starnes; children, Michael Starnes (Kim), Christy Gowens (Mikele), Bryan Starnes; grandchildren, Seth Starnes (Michelle Hancock), Austin Starnes (Jazz Sharp), Chase Starnes (Morgan), Bailey Starnes (Ryan Dill), Deven Gowens (Brooklyn), Brandi Mitchell (Brent), Joshua Gowens; great grandchildren, Riley, Casey, Delilah Rae, Hunter, Paisley, Etta; siblings, Allen Martin, Dan Martin (Freda); sister-in-law, Barbara Dooley (Paul); and a host of nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Starnes was preceded in death by her parents, John & Mary Ruth Martin; and her brother, Lynn Martin.

Serving as pallbearers will be her grandchildren, Seth Starnes, Austin Starnes, Chase Starnes, Josh Gowens, Deven Gowens, and Ryan Dill.

Hanceville Funeral Home is honored to serve the Starnes family.