Charles E. Staples, 92, of Easton, PA died Saturday, December 29, 2018 at Country Meadows. Born January 21, 1926 in Easton, he was the son of the late Helen Elizabeth (Snyder) and Paul Winston Staples. He graduated from Easton High School in 1942 and Lafayette College in 1946. After serving as a naval officer in WWII, he received a M.B.A. degree with distinction from Harvard in 1948. He was an advertising and sales executive for Philco Corporation in Philadelphia until he returned to Harvard as an Instructor in Government and Business. He then entered Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Divinity degree in 1955. Except for two years as a parish minister in Stroudsburg, PA, he spent his entire ministry until retirement in 1988 at Lafayette College where he was an Instructor in the Department of Religion, an Admissions Officer and Assistant to the President and Administrative Secretary to the Board of Trustees. During his retirement he was very active as a volunteer receiving several awards for services rendered. For many years, he was a volunteer patient representative at Easton Hospital and a Meals on Wheels volunteer. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of ProJeCt of Easton, Easton Heritage Alliance and Historic Easton Cemetery; a member of the Advisory Board of The Easton Home, the Community Advisory Panel of Ashland Chemical Company, the Lehigh Valley Partnership Religious Community Committee, the Lehigh Presbytery Peacemaking Committee, Parish Associate for Pastoral care and member of the Worship Committee of College Hill Presbyterian Church, Easton. He also served on the Church Relations Council at Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC.
He is survived by his sister, Paula S. Ballard of Bethlehem, PA; niece, Jill Hamilton, her husband Will and their 3 sons, Chase, his wife Hannah, Cuyler and Griffin; nephew, Matt Ballard, his wife Samantha and their 3 sons, William, Wyatt and Cooper; Henry T. Koch III, husband of the late niece Jennifer and their two daughters, Jane and Madeline.
Services are private; interment will be in Church Hill Cemetery, Martins Creek, PA. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Paul Winston and Helen Elizabeth Staples Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Lafayette College, Office of Development, 307 Markle Hall, Easton, PA 18042 or to ProJeCt of Easton, 320 Ferry Street, Easton PA 18042. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.
R
January 1, 2019 at 8:45 pm
Charles was a very dear friend and will be missed greatly. His kind spirit and wonderful sense of humor as one of a kind. I’m so sorry for your loss and you’ll all be in my prayers.
VIVIAN NOBLETT
January 2, 2019 at 9:21 am
Dear Paula,
I do not have your address -thus accept my condolence in this manner.
Don and I so enjoyed a long friendship with your brother; he was a delightful person and so conversationally capable! We shared many good times together due to the Lafayette connection well as that of Lehigh Presbytery.I know Don appreciated his genuine care for those applying to Lafayette for admission; Charlie had wonderful stories to share.
I also admired how much he cared for you, Paula, as well as Jill and Jennifer.
I understand these last few years were difficult for Charlie. I am relived he has found Peace. May you, too, find solace in his new Life.
Blessings, Vivian
J. White
January 2, 2019 at 11:36 am
To the Family. Please accept my sincere condolences. God’s Word is a great source of comfort during difficult times. For comfort, I share the Bible’s promise at HOSEA 13:14, “From the power of death I will redeem them, From the power of of the Grave I will recover them; “Where are your stings, O death? Where is your destructiveness, O Grave?” Surely, such ones have the prospect of living again to be reunited with family and friends!
Daniel Cohen
January 2, 2019 at 11:49 am
Saddened to hear of Charlie’s passing. I knew him from Lafayette and served on several boards with him, particularly ProJeCt of Easton, where he served for many years. He was a thoughtful, generous kind and sweet man, and he will be missed.
Dave Updegrove
January 2, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Charlie was a long time school mate. We had many good years of great friendship together. I visited him with my daughter a month ago at Country Meadows and we had a few laughs. I will miss him but know he is at peace and did not suffer. His sister Paula always kept me up to date on how he was doing
Dave Updegrove
January 2, 2019 at 3:46 pm
Charlie and I were long time classmates and had some great times together. He was always very positive and had a great sense of humor. My daughter and I visited him last month at Country Meadows and we had a few laughs. His sister, Paula, always kept me informed on how he was doing. I will miss him but know he’s at peace and did not suffer.
Madeline and Bob Brown
January 3, 2019 at 12:30 am
Dear Paula and Family of Charlie Staples,
Mary Ann Dwyer introduced us to Charlie, about 15 years ago, and we quickly became good friends. He gave us a tour of Lafayette College on one occasion, demonstrating his devotion to that fine institution and his command of its history. Being with Charlie was always entertaining, and we had the fun of encountering him several times at Marblehead Chowder House, where he had charmed the staff. We were also honored to welcome him him to our condo in Bethlehem and to see him at Central Moravian Church with you, Paula. Our last meeting was at Country Meadows, when he was losing ground. Paula, we thank you for keeping us up to date on our old buddy. We’re grateful that he passed gently.
To all of you who loved Charlie Staples, we offer our deep regrets on your loss. He was an admirable man, and we were delighted to call him our friend.
Madeline & Bob Brown
Rusty Shunk
January 6, 2019 at 9:53 am
To Paula and Family–
Charlie and I met at the Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church when I was the moderator of the youth fellowship at First Presbyterian in Bethlehem. We next met when I enrolled at Lafayette. Six years later we would become colleagues in the Admissions Office. What a dear friend then and over the years after Judi, Scott, and I left Easton. I was so glad to have lunch with him several years ago. The years just melted away. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Rusty
Edward V Platia, M.D. – Washington, DC
February 9, 2019 at 1:25 am
To Paula and family–
I just now learned of Charlie’s passing and am greatly saddened. Your mother and Charlie lived next door to my family on N 10th Street. Not only were they gracious neighbors over the years, but Charlie was one of the main reasons I attended Lafayette College following my graduation from Easton High School. In fact, it was the Staples Scholarship that helped make it possible. I only saw him from time to time after I went away to medical school, but we also communicated by phone and letter. He would ask about my career progress and my family, and he would talk about you and your children, always a source of great pride and affection for him. It has been my honor over the years to help support your parents’ scholarship fund at Lafayette, and now I will also consider it as a memorial and tribute to Charlie as well.