Patricia L. Starck, PhD, RN, FAAN, the longest serving dean in the history of Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, passed away Dec. 8, 2024, at the age of 86. She led the school from 1984 to 2015, through decades of growth and innovation. 

“Pat Starck, our ‘dean of deans,’ was a true legend whose vision transformed Cizik School of Nursing into a nationally renowned institution,” said Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, MD, UTHealth Houston president and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. “Her dedication to nursing education has left an indelible mark on our university and our community. We honor her tremendous impact, celebrate her considerable legacy, and thank her for showing us how to be a servant leader.” 

The many highlights of Dr. Starck’s leadership at UTHealth Houston include establishing the nurse-led UT Health Services clinic in 1991, co-founding the PARTNERS support organization in 1994, launching the state’s first Doctor of Nursing Practice program in 2006, and construction of the school’s building, which was completed in 2004. Dr. Starck transitioned into retirement by serving as UTHealth Houston’s senior vice president for community affairs from 2011-2013 and senior vice president of interprofessional education from 2014-2016. 

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dean Emerita Starck, and we are equally grateful for her enduring legacy,” said Dean Diane Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FAAN. “Cizik School of Nursing would not be what it is today without her long-standing commitment to excellence. Her influence is felt in everything from our culture of innovation and collaboration to our enduring clinical partnerships and our one-of-a-kind community of supporters through the PARTNERS.” 

Dr. Starck was born Sept. 15, 1938, in Americus, Ga., where she and her two brothers grew up surrounded by a large extended family with a long tradition of health care careers. She earned her associate’s degree from Georgia Southwestern College and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Emory University in Atlanta and worked toward her doctoral degree at the University of Alabama while her twin daughters, Jaime Catherine (Schier) and Patricia Ann (Griesedieck), were in junior high school. Dr. Starck served as dean of nursing at Troy State University in Alabama before the family moved to Houston, with Jaime and Patty attending Rice University and their mother becoming dean of UTHealth Houston’s nursing school. 

Her research over the years centered on alleviation of suffering, specifically the undertreatment of pain and the future-focused approach of logotherapy. She received a lifetime achievement award from the Victor Frankl Institute, as well as the Sister Bernadette Arminger award from the American Association of Nursing. 

In 2023, Dr. Starck was among 13 people honored by Nurses With Global Impact, Inc. (NWGI) during the International Nurses Day event at the United Nations in New York City. 

Dr. Starck always kept family close, with her daughters and their families living in adjacent houses. She is survived by both daughters and their husbands, Tim Schier and Paul Griesedieck, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. 

Memorial contributions may be made electronically by visiting the UTHealth Houston memorial gifts site and selecting the Patricia L. Starck Scholarship Endowment. Checks can be made payable to UTHealth Houston with the fund name in the memo line and mailed to UTHealth Houston, Attn: Office of Development, PO Box 20268, Houston, TX, 77025-9998. 

Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 28, at Montgomery United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Texas.

Learn more about Dr. Patricia Starck in the profile article written for the school’s 50^th anniversary in 2022.