Edward Harlin Staires

Dr. E. Harlin Staires, career educator, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, friend and mentor left this world on Thursday, May 10th, 2012. Harlin, and his twin sister Helen (Dethrow), were quite the Christmas gift…born in Alton, Missouri on December 25th, 1925, the fifth and six children of Ode Alvin Staires and Eva Lee (Clay) Staires. He left home at the age of seventeen to enlist in the United States Navy and spent twenty-four months in the Pacific Theater of War as a Hospital Corpsman stationed on Tinian Island and aboard LST 910. Upon returning from the war, he realized an education was the key to his future and he enrolled in college using the GI Bill and earned three degrees, including a Doctorate in Education, from the University of Missouri at Columbia. There he met and married the love of his life, Mary Kathryn (Kit) Stoll on April 5, 1947. During their 65 years together, they had three children, Steven Lee Staires (wife-Rita Faye Staires), Deborah Sue Staires, and Phillip Dan Staires (wife-Ramona Staires). They were blessed with five grandchildren, Susan Lynn Staires, Kathryn Brooke Moore (husband-Steven Moore), Jacob Staires, Lucas Staires, and MacKenzie Staires. Their most recent blessing was the birth of their great-granddaughter, Brooke Elizabeth Moore In June of 2010.

Harlin was an avid outdoorsman and never tired of hunting and fishing with his entire family. In the late 1980’s, he and Kit had the adventure of a life-time on a safari to Zimbabwe. He was active in scouting with Steve and Phil (both are Eagle Scouts). He was the founding Chairman of the Arrowhead District, member of the Kansas City Council and the National Council of Boy Scouts, and served as the President of the Grand Canyon Council.

Harlin spent more than forty years in public education including High School Principal and Superintendent of Schools in southern Kansas City (Grandview, Missouri), Dean of Education at Central Missouri State University, and University Vice-President and Professor of Educational Administration at Northern Arizona University. Dr. Staires helped shaped the minds and careers of thousands of young people and will be remembered for helping prepare the next generation for the challenges they face ahead.

A celebration of his life will held on Saturday, May the 19th at the Sunland Mortuary located at 15826 Del Webb Blvd, Sun City, AZ, 85351. Everyone that knew him and would like to be part of this celebration is invited. Please come with your favorite story or let us know how he changed your life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Boy Scouts of America, Grand Canyon Council (602-955-7747). Share your memories on Facebook: at: In Memory of E. Harlin Staires, Ed.D. Cards or letters may be sent to the family via Debbie Staires, 1604 North Date Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85281.