Although Will Starr travelled the world as an international performer, during his spare time he always enjoyed returning to his home in Croy.
Will spent his later years with his sisters, Rose and Theresa, at 16 Weldon Place, Croy. After the family home at Smithstone Row had been demolished,
they moved to a prefab in the Hillside, an area lying at the foot of the Croy Hill, and from there finally moving to Weldon Place.
16 Weldon Place, Croy - May 2006
After a losing battle with cancer of the spine, Will Starr died in his home town of Croy on 6 March 1976 and was buried in the Starrs family grave in Howe Road Cemetery, Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire.
The funeral on March 10th 1976, was attended by hundreds of local people, civic dignatories, show business celebrities and many family friends from all over Scotland.
The Croy Silver Band played the funeral march as the cortège walked to the local Holy Cross Church in Croy. Will Starr was a life-time supporter of the Band and often played with them at rehearsals and functions. This was their opportunity to show their appreciation for that support by giving him a fitting send-off.
Later, the funeral cortège stretched for a mile and a quarter, as the mourners walked the distance from his home town of Croy to the Cemetery in Howe Road, Kilsyth.
Kilsyth Cemetery at Howe Road - May 2006
The week before he died, the great Scottish Dance Band leader, Sir Jimmy Shand, paid him a visit at his home and played a few tunes for him. Shand was invited to play at Will's funeral, but he declined with the words, "Ah could'nae play that great man oot!"
This was an expression of the great sadness Sir Jimmy Shand felt at the loss of such a good friend, fellow countryman and highly respected virtuoso accordionist.
The honour of playing was granted to Bill Powrie (brother of Ian Powrie, the famous Scottish fiddler) who played at the graveside, the slow air, "The Mist Covered Mountains" on Will Starr's own black Hohner Morino accordion.
The Starrs family gravestone at Kilsyth Cemetery, Howe Road - May 2006
