"I've had a lot of fun. And I've had joy. Just remember, you have to answer to a higher power," Naomi Starkey, 92, of Charleston, said just a few weeks before she passed peacefully on May 1, 2013 of natural causes. Just a few days before her passing, Naomi was waving to and inviting in all who passed by her room at the nursing home. Just a few hours before her passing, she was sitting in the courtyard with her daughter enjoying the feel of the sun on her face, and making plans for the next day. Naomi always said the secret to a long life was discovered by her own mother, who lived to be into her nineties as well. Never stop making plans. Throughout a long, strong and virtuous life spanning 17 Presidents, 7 wars, 14 recessions and a Great Depression, Naomi, indeed, never stopped making plans. Nor did she lose her sense of humor. Just a few months before her passing, she was explaining her wheelchair movements to her granddaughter. "I try not to get this into tight spaces. I have hydrophobia." Laughing, her granddaughter replied, "Hydrophobia?" Naomi asked, "What did I say?" Her granddaughter repeated, "Hydrophobia." Naomi asked her, "What's that?" To which her granddaughter replied, "Fear of water, I suppose." Naomi laughed out loud and exclaimed, "Well, my goodness. Everything's falling apart...Even me." Naomi never met a stranger. She was more than happy to share her plans, as well as the remarkable stories of her life, in her easy going and humorous style, with anyone who had a moment to share some chicken and conversation. These stories, along with her witticisms and her wisdom, have been paid forward to hundreds of people - who only knew her as "Gramma" - by her granddaughter through a blog and Facebook postings. Just a week before her passing she was using her granddaughter's phone to take her own picture for her Facebook posts. Naomi loved people, loved God, loved the warmth of sunshine, loved the mountains and loved music. Just a few days before she passed, she was singing along with a Nat King Cole recording at the nursing home, and telling them her plans of going home. She told them, "It doesn't cost any more to be happy than it does to be sad. So I'm just going to be happy." Just a single moment before she passed, Naomi breathed one final, peaceful and easy breath. Then, she went home. Naomi Starkey was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Starkey, and a son, Gene Starkey, her parents, Shannon and Dora Moore, and 2 younger brothers, Gale Moore and Edison Moore. She is survived by her youngest brother and his wife, Haskell and Sarah Moore of Cincinnati; 5 nieces and nephews; her daughter, Bonnie Hissom of Charleston, and grandchildren Eric Hissom and his wife Angel, Phil Hissom and his wife Jennie of Florida, and Yvonne Donlon of Charleston; a son and daughter in law, Wayne Starkey and Carla Reinhardt and grandchildren Eric Goodrich and his wife Danielle, and Zachary Starkey of Connecticut and Shannon Starkey of California. A Celebration of Naomi's life will be held at Hissom Tabernacle Church of the Nazarene Sunday, May 19th at 3:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Hissom Inter-City Mission, 1305 Pennsylvania Ave, Charleston, WV 25302. The family will accept Memorial online condolences at: cpjfuneralhome.com Cunningham, Parker and Johnson Funeral Home is serving the family of Naomi Starkey.