Wolford McDonald “Buck” Staley, 98, of Hagerstown went to be with his Lord on Sunday morning, Sept. 1, 2013, at his residence. He was the husband of the late Margaret Catherine Preston “Kate” Staley, his wife of 72 years, who died on May 20, 2011.
He died peacefully on his 98th birthday.
Buck was born Sept. 1, 1915, in Waynesboro, Pa., a son of the late Harry Matthew and Clara Elizabeth Hockenberry Staley and stepmother, Madie Ellen Ney Staley.
Buck was known for his welding skills and teaching abilities of his craft. He began his career with Krider Reesner at the age of 18. He started his long teaching career with the War Defense Programs of World War II, which prepared welders to go into aircraft manufacturing and the shipyards. He set up and taught the adult welding programs for the Washington County Board of Education, which was later transferred to Hagerstown Junior College. Later, until retirement, he taught the high school welding program for the school system and the college welding program.
He was a life member of Grace United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday school for many years and sang with the church choirs.
Vocal music was a family tradition, singing with his father, brother, Bill, and sister, Catherine, in the Staley Family Quartet. He was a member of many other singing groups throughout his life.
Buck was very active in the community, helping build the Federal Little League field, and a member of the West Hagerstown Lions Club, Friendship Lodge 84 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Ali Ghan Shrine Club, Cumberland Scottish Rite, Hagerstown Forest 95 Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Ithiel Royal Arch Masons Chapter 27, Palestine Council 16 R&SM, and St. Bernard Commandery 9, Knights Templar.
On the day he died, Buck would have been an 80-year member of the Conococheague Tribe 84 Red Men, Williamsport, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lodge 378, Hagerstown, for which he was the visiting representative at the Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center for many years. Additionally, he was active with The Arc of Washington County Inc. He and Kate coached and kept score for the ARC bowling team and other ARC athletic events. He was the institutional representative for Boy Scouts of America, Troop 3.
Buck was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting and fishing.
He and his wife raised a large family, including daughter, Thelma Jean Stockslager (husband, Eldon, deceased), son, Harry (deceased) and wife, Jo, son, William H. and wife, Jane, son, David T. (deceased), son, Stephen L. and wife, Debbie, and son, Robert L., all of Hagerstown; son, John R. and wife, Terri, of Stewartstown, Pa., and daughter, Judy, who died at birth.
Buck will be remembered by his grandchildren, Eldon Jr., Diana, Margaret, Ryan, Jim, Steve, Kane, Seth, Dean, Taren, Leah and Tressy; 10 great- grandchildren; four stepgreat-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He loved his family very much and looked forward to their visits.
Besides his wife and parents, Buck was preceded in death by granddaughter, Kara Staley, and siblings, William H. Staley and Mary Catherine Fitz.
The funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, 2013, at Grace United Methodist Church, at the corner of Church and Winter streets, Hagerstown. The Rev. Curtis C. Ehrgott will officiate. Interment will follow in Cedar Lawn Memorial Park, Hagerstown.
The family will receive friends at Andrew K. Coffman Funeral Home Inc., 40 E. Antietam St., Hagerstown, Thursday, from 7 to 9 p.m. A Masonic memorial service will be 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Staley’s name to Grace United Methodist Church, 712 W. Church St., Hagerstown, MD 21740.
