By Tori Wittenbrock
Associate Sports Editor
BIRMINGHAM, ALA – On Tuesday, Feb. 27, Cherry Starr, widow of Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr passed away at the age of 89 after an ongoing battle with cancer.
Where it all started
Cherry and her husband Bart became high school sweethearts after both attending Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama.
Cherry’s hold on Bart was powerful from the beginning as she even convinced him to choose to play football at University of Alabama over his dream school in Kentucky in order to remain close to her at Auburn.
The couple secretly eloped a few years later in 1954.
Two years later the Starrs’ lives would change forever when Bart was selected in the 17th round of the 1957 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Starr then played as quarterback for the Packers from 1956-71 during the Lombardi era, eventually becoming the only quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to three consecutive championship titles in 1965, 1966 and 1967.
Starr also led his team to victory at the first two Super Bowls before becoming the head coach of the Packers from 1975 to 1983.
Bart passed away in 2019 after a series of health concerns.
Dedication to the Green Bay community
During their time in Green Bay, Cherry and Bart were known for their activism and dedication to the community.
In 1965, the Starrs became an integral part of opening the Rawhide Boys Ranch for troubled youth.
According to Rawhide Youth Services, “Bart even raffled off his Super Bowl II MVP Corvette to complete the downpayment to purchase Rawhide’s New London campus.”
In 2017 Cherry and Bart became co-founders of the Starr Children’s Fund dedicated to helping pediatric cancer patients and research.
After Bart’s death, Cherry played a key role in continuing his legacy of charity and generosity within the Green Bay and football communities.
Cherry’s last visit to Green Bay came in 2021 when she was present at the dedication of the Bart Starr Memorial Bridge in downtown Green Bay.
Impact on the Packers
Green Bay Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said that the Green Bay community and the Packers will deeply mourn the loss of Cherry Starr and the impact she had on the world around her.
“Her generosity and support of the community, both here in Wisconsin and in Alabama, is greatly appreciated by so many,” said Murphy.