Robert Newton Staley
STALEY, EVANS, FISCHER
Posted By: Lisa Ciha (email)
Date: 4/1/2025 at 10:55:19
Robert Newton Staley, 89, died peacefully with his wife by his side at Windmill Manor on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Reverend John Lamansky at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 3, 2025, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Burial will be at St Joseph Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 2, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Gay and Ciha Funeral Home. A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m.
Bob was born October 15, 1935, in Conova, South Dakota, the son of Isabelle Trotter and Newton Clarence Staley. He graduated from Huron South Dakota High School and attended Brookings State College. In 1959 he obtained his DDS degree from the University of Minnesota, College of Dentistry. During his free summers, he worked as a Jammer at Glacier National Park driving red bus #98. He also worked as a canoe guide for the Boy Scouts in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. With the reflector oven that he purchased for the campfire, he set about baking pies for the Scouts with the blueberries that they picked for him. He rolled out pie crust with a peanut butter jar on the back of a canoe. And the pie was delicious!
After Dental School he completed a Dental Internship in the Zoller Dental Clinic at the University of Chicago. While there, he studied the Humanities and Studio Art, becoming a fine artist. He then completed an M.A. in Physical Anthropology and worked as a Dental Physical Anthropologist with Dr. Albert A. Dahlberg at the University of Chicago. He also served as a Captain in the US Army Dental Corps at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
As an Orthodontic resident at the State University of New York at Buffalo, he met the love of his life, Kathleen Holmes, a student working at the University Ticket Office in the Student Union. They were married on August 7, 1970, in Buffalo, New York. To this union two cherished children, Elizabeth & Thomas, were born.
Two weeks after the wedding, Bob and Kathie, drove to The University of Iowa where Bob began teaching in the Orthodontic Department in the College of Dentistry, as an Assistant Professor. He was a member of the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics Foundation. He served as a consultant to many Dental and Orthodontic Journals. He very much enjoyed serving patients, teaching and mentoring students and was highly regarded. As a member of the International Association for Dental Research, he highly valued research in Dentofacial Growth and helping both undergraduate dental students and Orthodontic residents. His textbook Essentials of Orthodontics, Diagnosis and Treatment was published in five languages. He retired in 2016, from the University of Iowa Department of Orthodontics as an Emeritus Professor.
Bob adored his children, spending much time with them and teaching them about science, history, and art. He and Kathie took them to many art galleries and museums in the US and in Europe. After reading the eight books of the Little House on the Prairie Series, Bob took his children to visit all of the sites written about in the books. As an Eagle Scout himself, Bob served as the District Chairman of the Hawkeye Area Counsel of the Boy Scouts of America and helped his son, Thomas, also achieve the Eagle Scout rank.
In 1999, Bob and his family converted to the Catholic faith which was one of the highlights of Bob’s life. His deep devotion to his faith was very important to him and gave him much joy.
Bob is survived by his wife of 54 years, Kathleen, his daughter, Elizabeth (Christopher) Evans and his son, Dr. Thomas (Jacqueline) and grandchildren Lauren, Andrew, Matthew, and James Evans, and Gabriel, Maria, and Augustine Staley. He is also survived by two very special honorary grandchildren, Grant and Ava Sim. He is also survived by many loved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Nancy and her husband Noel J. Fischer and his brother Dr. James Trotter Staley and his wife Sonja.
The Staley Family would like to extend sincere appreciation to the staff of the Bickford Senior Care Center, and Windmill Manor for their excellent care of Bob and to Dr. Jason Wilbur for his outstanding medical care. We are especially grateful to the Moment’s Hospice Staff for their exceptional care of Bob.
Memorials may be given to St Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Moments Hospice, and The University of Iowa Center for Advancement Staley Orthodontic Excellence Fund. To share a thought, memory or condolence please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com.
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