Katherine Elna Staples

Katherine Staples

Formerly of Richfield

Our dearly beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Katherine Elna Stanford Staples, 92, died peacefully October 28, 2014, in Greensburg, PA. She was born February 7, 1922, in Carey, Idaho, to Joseph Sedley and Pearl Ivie Stanford.

Katherine spent her early childhood in Ithaca, N.Y., her later childhood in Salina, Salt Lake City and Logan. She received a BS degree in foods and nutrition from Utah State University in 1944 and an MS degree in nutrition from Cornell University in 1946. She taught home economics at Granite High School, Salt Lake City. She married George Staples, December 29, 1948, in the Logan LDS Temple. He preceded her in death February 2, 1993.

Katherine directed a home nursery school then eventually taught as assistant professor of food and nutrition at North Dakota State University from 1966 to 1986. While there she published a cookbook for special needs individuals.

The couple lived in Kanosh for a time and several states throughout their marriage then retired to Richfield where they lived from 1986 to 1994. After her husband’s death she lived in several states and finally in Pennsylvania to be close to family.

She was an excellent seamstress, a great cook, and loved to preserve foods and help her husband to raise various garden crops and chickens. The couple developed a breed of chicken named "Stakota" by combining the names of Staples and Dakota. Longer feathers protected the legs in cold Dakota weather. The couple also dressed and sold the chickens as another source of income.

Never at a loss for words, Katherine was an avid reader of the scriptures and taught Seminary several years. A faithful member of the LDS Church, she held many church callings. She enjoyed family history and genealogy.

She kept track of and celebrated birthdays and anniversaries of family and friends. She was an artful baker and decorated cakes that she often presented as gifts. Helping others wherever she saw a need was her primary goal of life. She loved and cared individually about each person she met and showed it by her many acts of kindness and service. Katherine’s blue eyes lit up every room. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who will be remembered with great fondness. She will be dearly missed.

Katherine is survived by children: David (Kathy) Staples, Greensburg, PA.; Gayla Staples Cloud, Houston, TX; Joseph (Sarah) Staples, Obuse, Nagano, Japan; Peter (Cristie) Staples, Lynchburg, VA.; and daughter-in-law, Glenda Staples, Wichita, KS.; 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren; siblings: Steven Stanford, Ogden; Elaine (Reed) Brockbank, Kentfield, CA; Glen (Elaine) Stanford, Las Vegas, NV; Marie (Wayne) Williams, Overton, NV.; Melvin J. (Linda) Stanford, Provo; and Diane Jastremsky, Boise, ID.

She was also preceded in death by sons: Fred Staples, James Staples and Daniel Staples; son-in-law, Robert Cloud; grandchildren, Tammy Staples, Ruth Cloud and Deborah Cloud; and siblings, Naomi Vesta Stanford and Theodore James Stanford.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 12:00 Non, in the Kanosh LDS Ward Chapel, 25 South Main Street, where friends may call from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Kanosh City Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti.