1997 Chevrolet Express Passenger - Trouble starting

If I take a short trip, say about a mile to Home Depot, I frequently have trouble starting the engine. It wants to start, and will turn over a few times, then quit. I can wait or use starting fluid, but I would like to fix it.

That is a nice hint. It has spark and it will run sooo… I’d say the fuel pump is tired and on the way to the trash bin. You can verify this with a pressure test.