LtCol Robert Dean Staples, USMC, retired, of Norman, passed from this life on December 14, 2020. Bob was born in Dewey, Oklahoma on September 7, 1935 to Velma and Robert Lee Staples and was raised in Oklahoma, Texas, Overland Park and El Dorado, Kansas with his three sisters. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1954 at the age of 19. Bob was selected for the Navy Enlisted Educational Scientific Program in 1959 and attended the University of Oklahoma where he graduated with a BSEE degree in 1962. During the Vietnam War he served two tours of duty, one year in Da Nang, Vietnam and one year in Okinawa.
Bob, his five children and wife Cherie, traveled the United States until his retirement from the Corps in 1981 after twenty-seven years of service to his country. After retirement from the military, he worked for U.S. defense contractors in California, Virginia, and Saudi Arabia. He was the NOAA liaison for construction of both the Norman Phased Array Radar facility and the National Weather Center. Bob and Cherie settled in Norman in 1990 where he served his community as a member of the Kiwanis Club (President), Salvation Army, National Weather Museum, American Red Cross, Norman Election Board, Citizen’s Police Academy of Norman, and Center for Children and Families, Inc. He was a Founding Board Member of Veterans Corner providing services to military members and their families. As a dedicated member of McFarlin Methodist Church for thirty years he served in many capacities including youth and adult mission trips, as a greeter, and vacation bible school volunteer. In 2009 he was selected as the Civic Volunteer of the Year by the Junior League and United Way of Norman. As the organizations stated, “Bob is everywhere! When there is a call for help, he is there.”
Bob and Cherie were University of Oklahoma football, softball and women’s basketball season ticket holders over all of these years and rarely missed a game day. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Cherie, children Debbie (Kevin) Kelleher, DeeAnn (Stan) Marshall, Donna (Jeff) Hale and Robert (Ida) Staples, his grandchildren Shane Kelleher, Braden Kelleher, Eli Hale, Emma Hale and Bodie Staples, his sisters Helen McMichael, Donna Miller and Nancy Reed. Bob was preceded in death by his youngest son, John.
A memorial service will be held at McFarlin Methodist Church followed by burial at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery when gatherings can be held safely and his family and friends can travel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Veterans Corner, www.veteranscornerok.org or the Salvation Army in Norman.
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