Starr Benton Makes Life Shine Brighter

Chicken and dumplings: two humble pieces of dinner. For Jonathan and Starr Benton, however, these delicious items paved the way for many more meals shared together. Mutual friends paved the way. “The first time I told her I loved her was in a parking lot at Nottingham Apartments,” Jonathan recounted.

This love blossomed into a 10-year marriage and a family of six, including children Ethan, Jackson, Eve and Maddox. “Starr means everything to me,” Jonathan declared. “I could not imagine my life without her. She is my best friend. She makes me laugh all the time and I can be myself around her.”

Starr was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to parents Frank and Trish Byous. She graduated from Independence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. The family currently lives in Indian Trail, North Carolina.

What drew Jonathan to Starr is her humor and, above all, her ability to care. She “loves to help people” and “has a big heart,” said Jonathan. As a peer support specialist, Starr helps support individuals suffering from addiction and other mental health challenges to become more independent in their everyday lives.

Jonathan also admires her strength, faith, and willingness to speak her mind. All of these qualities serve her well as a mother—”She’s a wonderful mother,” Jonathan exclaimed. “Caring, supportive is not afraid to have the tough talk with our kids. She tries to teach them good values and teaches them about faith.” Starr herself can frequently be found reading the Bible.

When she is not spending her time taking care of those in her home and in her community, Starr can be found engaging in “retail therapy,” enjoying shopping both in stores and online.

She also enjoys traveling, and the couple enjoy taking trips to celebrate their wedding anniversary. “We have gone to Virginia, Las Vegas and New York, and those are some of the best trips and memories that we have,” Jonathan said.

Starr is the bright tree-topper to the Christmas tree of the life that she and Jonathan have built together, with each ornament on the tree representing bright, shining memories made and to be made.

This festive season, Jonathan wishes to bestow the gift of expression, sharing with Starr how he feels about his wife of a decade: “I want her to know how much I love her and that I am thankful that she is in my life and that I love the life we have built together.”