2008 Woodie Awards
Former student Starkes dies; Drugs, alcohol may be cause of death
By: Courtney Hime and Liesl Goecker
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: News
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Former DePauw sophomore Steven Starkes, 20, passed away Wednesday afternoon in the Pulaski Memorial Hospital in Winamac, Ind.
Steven started the fall semester at DePauw in August but voluntarily withdrew at the beginning of October.
He was living at home, in Winamac, Ind. when he died.
The official cause of death is unknown, pending the results of toxicology reports, said Linda Overmyer, Pulaski County coroner. A formal police investigation is underway.
"It appears that two different people had given him two different types of prescription medications, neither of which are lethal, but when mixed with alcohol [are]," said Dale Starkes, Steven's father.
Starkes said Steven struggled with moderation in all aspects of his life, particularly with alcohol.
"He never did things in a small way," Starkes said, "he always did them in a large way."
Starkes recalled one of the many times he sailed on Lake Michigan with his son, when Steven was much younger. During a particularly bad storm, Steven steered the boat into harbor so Starkes could dock it. He said people on a nearby yacht were amazed to see a boy of seven guiding a boat in such poor conditions.
"He was always very dependable in situations when danger was very grave," Starkes said. "He never lost his cool."
Starkes said Steven had been sober since withdrawing from DePauw for the first time in February, until the beginning of September.
Sophomore Ben Eckler, who lived with Steven last fall, said that when Steven returned to campus in August he had seemed like a "changed person." As the semester continued, however, he could tell Steven had slipped back into old habits.
"He did things to an extreme," Starkes said of his son. "Like many 20-year-olds, he didn't see the fragileness of life, and I don't think he ever thought something like this would happen to him."
Eckler wasn't the only person at DePauw to notice the change in Steven. Starkes recalled receiving a phone call from Steven's current housemates, during which they expressed concern.
Steven started the fall semester at DePauw in August but voluntarily withdrew at the beginning of October.
He was living at home, in Winamac, Ind. when he died.
The official cause of death is unknown, pending the results of toxicology reports, said Linda Overmyer, Pulaski County coroner. A formal police investigation is underway.
"It appears that two different people had given him two different types of prescription medications, neither of which are lethal, but when mixed with alcohol [are]," said Dale Starkes, Steven's father.
Starkes said Steven struggled with moderation in all aspects of his life, particularly with alcohol.
"He never did things in a small way," Starkes said, "he always did them in a large way."
Starkes recalled one of the many times he sailed on Lake Michigan with his son, when Steven was much younger. During a particularly bad storm, Steven steered the boat into harbor so Starkes could dock it. He said people on a nearby yacht were amazed to see a boy of seven guiding a boat in such poor conditions.
"He was always very dependable in situations when danger was very grave," Starkes said. "He never lost his cool."
Starkes said Steven had been sober since withdrawing from DePauw for the first time in February, until the beginning of September.
Sophomore Ben Eckler, who lived with Steven last fall, said that when Steven returned to campus in August he had seemed like a "changed person." As the semester continued, however, he could tell Steven had slipped back into old habits.
"He did things to an extreme," Starkes said of his son. "Like many 20-year-olds, he didn't see the fragileness of life, and I don't think he ever thought something like this would happen to him."
Eckler wasn't the only person at DePauw to notice the change in Steven. Starkes recalled receiving a phone call from Steven's current housemates, during which they expressed concern.
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