Jon T. Staples ’61 died on August 4, 2024, in Jamesville, New York.
(The following was provided by Syracuse Post Standard in August 7, 2024:)
Jon T. Staples ’61
Dr. Jon Tewksbury Staples, a “wicked” scholar and beloved family man, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2024, at his daughter’s house in Jamesville, NY. Born on September 14, 1938, in Waterville, Maine, to Clarence and Dorothy Staples, Jon lived a life marked by academic excellence, professional achievement, and deep personal connections.
Jon was awarded a scholarship to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, where he excelled academically. He chose to continue his education in his cherished home state(“God’s country”), attending Bowdoin College in Maine. It was during this time he met the love of his life, sassy Bettye Sue Russell, a nursing student at Mercy Hospital, forging a bond that would last over six decades.
Pursuing his passion for science, Jon earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He further advanced his expertise through postdoctoral research at MIT.
In the early 1960s the Eastman Kodak Company lured in young brilliant scientists from around the country to Rochester, NY. Jon and Bettye Sue seized the opportunity and made the decision to establish themselves, creating an idyllic life in Pittsford, NY.
Playing squash, tennis, skiing, cycling, and hiking in the glorious mountains of Maine were some of his favorite pastimes. Nothing compared to his love of live music and dancing, especially at the Kennebec Wharf in Hallowell, Maine. Suffice it to say that Jon was an ardent fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and, naturally, the Boston Red Sox. The North Carolina Tar Heels got his blood pumping as well.
Predeceased by his beloved daughter Kimberly in 1974, he leaves behind his soul mate of sixty-two years, Bettye Sue, his two sons, Jon T. Staples, Jr, of Jacksonville, Florida, Nathan R. Staples of Edwards, Colorado, and his daughter Wynifred Staples Brodey (Mitchell) of Jamesville, NY.
He also leaves to cherish his memory numerous nieces and nephews, grandchildren, step grandchildren and great grandchildren.
We would like to thank some of the most extraordinary people for their support and care of Jon in the last few months. Debra Brown, Deborah Jacques, Dan, Angela, Marianne, Dariya, Wanda, Sydney and many more.
In a nod to Jon and his spirited nature, if you are ever traveling on I-95 north, crossing the Piscataqua river into Maine, honk your horn as we did every single time entering “God’s country”, in celebration of his life – he will surely be beaming down at you from above.