Ray Staley

Ray Staley, age 88, of Calmar, IA, died on December 7, 2012, at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehab Center, New Hampton, IA. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 13, 2012, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 304 South Maryville Street, Calmar, IA, with Rev. Donald Hawes presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call after 10:00 a.m., at the church on Thursday morning. The Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, French Chapel in Calmar, IA, is in charge of arrangements. Earl Ray Staley was born on December 7, 1924, the son of Joseph and Leola (Eppens) Staley, in Burchinal, Iowa, near Mason City, Iowa. He lived in Hollandale, MN, before moving to Calmar in 1938. He worked on the Boe Flaskerud farm until he graduated from Calmar High School 1943. Ray was united in marriage to Lucille Kafka, on February 12, 1945, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Ray served in the US Army until 1945. He then returned to Calmar and started working for Interstate Power Company as a lineman. In 1960, he served as area manager, moving to Albert Lea, MN from 1960 to 1978, Elkader in 1982 and then back to Calmar in 1990. Ray was very civic minded and community minded. He was instrumental in the formation of Area One (Northeast Iowa Community College), was a charter member of the South Winneshiek Golf Course, and helpful with the Calmar Senior Housing. Ray was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church, the Halverson – Giesen American Legion Post #266, the Calmar Lions Club, and the Calmar Commercial Club. Ray enjoyed playing cards, golfing, fishing, tending to his flower garden and mushroom hunting. Ray is survived by his two sons and daughters-in-law: Tim (Cindy) Staley of Waterloo, IA and Galen (Deann) Staley of New Hampton, IA; two daughters and son-in-law: Deborah Buchheit of Calmar, IA and Vicky (Dr. Stephen Rosenberg) of Stratfford, New Hampshire. Eight grandchildren: Michael (Mandy) Staley and Julie (Alejandro) Tanay, Brian (Alison) Buchheit, Nicole (Quentin) Stanerson, Joseph Buchheit; Benjamin (Heather) Staley, Daniel and Douglas Rosenberg. Six great grandchildren: Jack, Lucy and Ella Rae Stanerson; Samuel Ray and Paige Staley; and Aaron Timothy Tanay. One sister: Velma Numedahl of Pella, IA. One sister-in-law: Lillian Kafka of New Prague, MN, along with and many nieces and nephews. Ray was preceded in death by his parents: Joseph and Leola (Eppens) Staley. His wife: Lucille Staley on October 11, 2012. brother: William (Mila) Staley. Sisters and brothers-in-law: Robert Kafka, Paul (Frances) Kafka; two sisters and four brother-in-laws, Marcella (Hugo) Hauber, Irma (Oscar) Schardin, and Vernon Numedahl.