"He was always into history."
The siblings grew up on a dairy farm in Taranaki where they walked two miles to school everyday, as their parents had no car.
The family moved to Wairarapa in 1948, when Mr Startup attended Wairarapa College for his last year at secondary school.
He spent 15 years working for the social security department, before working for 25 years at Wairarapa Hospital, until he retired in 1995.
During that time, he wrote 70 books about the postal history of the country as well as being editor of the The Mail-Coach - a monthly publication by the Postal History Society.
One of his most recognised awards was the New Zealand 1990 Commonwealth Medal, which he received in 2008. He travelled to England, along with Miss Startup, to receive it in 2009 as he was too sick at the time of the award.
Mr Startup was also added to the roll of distinguished philatelists by the New Zealand Philatelic Society.
Mr Startup also spent over a year doing his compulsory military training in the offices of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Miss Startup said his death last week was peaceful.
"That's the way he wanted it," she said.
"He said 'I'm 78, I've had a good life - let nature take it's course'."