Frank Staley

Frank Staley, age 90, passed away on Tuesday evening, November 14. He will be missed by his family who loved him dearly, and also missed by his many friends. As one person said, “Everyone liked Frank!” He was the best father and grandfather you could ever want; we are saddened by his absence.

Like other Great Depression families, Ernest Franklin’s parents, Dallas & Garnett Fowler Staley, depended on faith, hard work, ingenuity, sacrifice and their close-knit family to sustain life on a small farm in Wayne County, West Virginia. Surrounded by his parents, his grandparents (John & Elizabeth Perdue Staley and Benjamin Franklin & Louisa Catherine Davis Fowler), aunts, uncles and cousins, a strong work ethic was exemplified by his family, and Frank’s moral character was shaped by some of the very best people God ever created. When his father Dallas was part of a second, expanded draft following Pearl Harbor, 11-year-old Frank’s role on the farm increased while his 33-year-old dad served in Italy. If anyone was up to the task, it was Frank. His chores increased as he was expected to help his mother and 4-year-old sister Wilma (Davis) as well as his grandparents. The family bond strengthened during those 18 months, and Frank learned many valuable and practical skills and lessons that he would rely on through his life’s journey.

When work was scarce, Frank's devotion and loyalty to his family prevailed; he left high school to join his dad in Wayne County, Ohio, where he landed his first job working on the railroad. That decision set the course for his career. Over the years, he worked for Nickel Plate Railroad and Norfolk Western/Norfolk Southern, retiring as a Roadmaster. He was proud of his career and said the railroad was good to him—he was able to travel, take on more responsibility, earn a good living, and be outdoors most of the time (where many “good-eatin” mushrooms caught his eye). He also said he liked “railroading” much better than farming.

Shortly after relocating to Ohio, he was introduced to Maryellen Burslem on a blind date. He thought she was pretty but a little skinny; she thought he was much older because even at the age of 17, he had a little bit of grey hair. But they fell in love and were married more than 70 years before her passing in January 2022. Throughout their time together, they enjoyed their two daughters, their 5 grandchildren, fishing, woodworking, crafting, gardening, country & gospel music, visiting family, watching their grandsons play soccer and baseball, and helping their girls no matter what state they lived in over the years: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, Virginia, Texas and Kansas. Wherever they lived, Frank would always pack his tools for the trip to gladly work on projects and repairs for his kids while he was on “vacation.”

After retirement, Frank honed his woodworking skills in his basement woodshop. Many family members and friends still own a craft item or piece of furniture made by Frank. His greatest joy was making 2 cradles, one for each of his daughters, when he learned he was going to be a grandfather. He adored his grandchildren and enjoyed attaining great-grandfather status as well.

His grandchildren will always remember him as loving, loyal, quiet, kind, caring, compassionate, humble, giving, always the first to help and figure out how to fix or make things, dependable, hardworking and honest. He was truly a gentle giant who exuded unparalleled common sense—even his grandchildren saw that.

Frank is survived by daughter Kathie Covey, her husband Rod, and Kathie’s children and their families: Nathan, Brooke & Julian; Matthew, Jaye, Allie & Ella; Jon, Katie & Nolan. And by daughter Betsy Frake, her husband Gordon and their children, Colin & Emily; Leslie & her daughters Felicity, Eden and Norah.

We can only hope to honor Dad/Grandpa/G-Gpa by living a legacy that would make him proud. There will never be another like him; we had the best. His humorous advice to all of us was, “Don’t take no wooden nickels.” Our advice is to love your family while you can. He was Dad to us for almost 70 years, but we’d still like another fishing day with him as well as a batch of his homemade onion rings.

A private time of remembrance will be held by the immediate family. Memorial contributions can be made in honor of Frank Staley to TRADITIONS HOSPICE, 207 Portage Trail, Extension West, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.karlofh.com for the Staley family.