Born July 24, 1930, on the family farm in Boone County, Missouri to Frank “Pop” T. Staats and Beula J. (Hendricks) (Staats) Mockbee.
Hugh married Shirley Salmons on October 31, 1953, and they remained best friends for the next 73 years. He served proudly in the United States Air Force as a mechanic working on fighter jets. After his honorable discharge in 1961, Hugh would then go on to work for Harbison-Walker as a carpenter by trade but wore many hats with the company retiring in 1988.
Hugh loved woodworking where he built furniture, bird houses, clocks, rocking horses, and many cedar chests for family and friends.
He was an avid and very active outdoors man hunting, and fishing, working in the garden, and walking the woods looking for ginseng. Long into his 80’s he was still cutting and splitting wood with an axe, and he was tougher than woodpecker lips. Working in his shop and deer camp were wonderful memories his family has of him.
Hugh is proceeded in death by his parents; his five siblings, Flora-Belle Staats Gary, Ray Staats, Wallace Staats, Dysart Staats, and Jerry Mockbee.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley; his children, sons, Wayne (Karen) Staats and Arnie Staats, and his daughter, Loretta (Doug) Lewis; his grandchildren, Josh (Tiffany) Staats, Jessie Staats, and Levi Staats, Corey (Richie) Giboney, Amanda (David) Stiers, Dylan (Lindsay) Gillooly, Taylor (Shanna) Gillooly, Sam (Rachel) Lewis and Leanne Lewis; his great grandchildren, Tayler Morts, Peyton Stiers, Tristan Staats, Jase Staats, Kamija Carter, Nick Staats, Tommy Staats, Addy Staats, Kelsi Roark, Kara Giboney, Jax Gillooly, Sawyer Gillooly, Brylee, Bentley, and Whytlee, Caspin Gillooly, Raelynn Gillooly.
Celebration of Life Services are set for 11 AM Wednesday August 26, 2026, at Debo Funeral Home (833 Court St Fulton, Missouri 65251). The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 10-11 AM at the funeral home with burial at Mt Carmel Cemetery, Fulton.
Memorials are suggested to the VFW Post 2657 in Fulton, MO.
