Obituary for Ann Staples (McDonald)
Ann McDonald Staples, 91, of Marion Center, died Saturday, September 10, 2022, at Indiana Regional Medical Center. Born in Corpus Christi, TX on August 9, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Aubrey Henry McDonald and Doris (Shirar) McDonald.
Ann graduated high school at age 16 and enrolled and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University by age 21. She furthered her education in musicology at IU-Bloomington, earning a master’s degree and completed all coursework to obtain ABD status in the late 1950s. After getting married and starting a family, Ann returned to Pittsburgh’s Theological Seminary in her mid-50s to complete coursework in preparation for her ordination to the Deaconate in 1986.
Ann’s love of music led her to teach private piano lessons to scores of young people over several decades in her home and part-time classes at IUP during faculty m sabbaticals. Following her ordination Ann worked full-time as a Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. Ann served two parishes in the Pittsburgh
area before accepting an assignment as Deacon in Charge of the St. Thomas and St. Luke’s Episcopal parishes located in Northern Cambria and Patton, PA, respectively. During this time Ann answered another calling to develop the non-profit Coal Country Hangout Youth Center (CCHYC), a full-service youth center that operates a pre-K daycare, teen center, and adult computer learning lab to meet the needs of the Northern Cambria County community. Ann remained on the board of this organization until Spring, 2022.
Throughout her life, Ann was an avid lover of music and the Church. She also enjoyed gardening and reading. She was especially fond of her pets, cats Lexi and Lacey.
Ann is survived by her six children: Mark Richardson (Georgia), Boston, MA; David Richardson, Las Vegas, NV; Claudia Stapleton (James), Indiana; Kathryn “Kate” Franklin, Atlanta, GA; John Matthew “Matt” Staples, Blairsville; and Hilary Staples (Robert Begg), Indiana. She has nine surviving grandchildren: Brittany McDonald, Megan Richardson (Omri), Kevin Stapleton (Aubree), Derek, Riley and Dylan (Alaina) Stapleton, Rachel Staples (Jake), Adrian Staples, and Jaydon Franklin, and three great grandchildren: Quinn, Liam and Logan. She is also remembered by her brother, Richard McDonald (Helen), Fredericksburg, TX, several nieces and nephews and by her second husband, James Staples, Indiana.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Louis Richardson.
Friends will be received Wednesday, September 14th, from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Rairigh-Bence Funeral Home & Crematory of Indiana, 965 Philadelphia Street. Her funeral service will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM at the Christ Episcopal Church, 902 Philadelphia St., Indiana. Rev. William Geiger, officiating. Burial will follow at the Marion Center Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Coal Country Hangout Youth Center (CCHYC), 3909 Bigler Avenue, Northern Cambria, PA 15714.
Online condolences may be offered by visiting: rbfh.net.
Ann graduated high school at age 16 and enrolled and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University by age 21. She furthered her education in musicology at IU-Bloomington, earning a master’s degree and completed all coursework to obtain ABD status in the late 1950s. After getting married and starting a family, Ann returned to Pittsburgh’s Theological Seminary in her mid-50s to complete coursework in preparation for her ordination to the Deaconate in 1986.
Ann’s love of music led her to teach private piano lessons to scores of young people over several decades in her home and part-time classes at IUP during faculty m sabbaticals. Following her ordination Ann worked full-time as a Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. Ann served two parishes in the Pittsburgh
area before accepting an assignment as Deacon in Charge of the St. Thomas and St. Luke’s Episcopal parishes located in Northern Cambria and Patton, PA, respectively. During this time Ann answered another calling to develop the non-profit Coal Country Hangout Youth Center (CCHYC), a full-service youth center that operates a pre-K daycare, teen center, and adult computer learning lab to meet the needs of the Northern Cambria County community. Ann remained on the board of this organization until Spring, 2022.
Throughout her life, Ann was an avid lover of music and the Church. She also enjoyed gardening and reading. She was especially fond of her pets, cats Lexi and Lacey.
Ann is survived by her six children: Mark Richardson (Georgia), Boston, MA; David Richardson, Las Vegas, NV; Claudia Stapleton (James), Indiana; Kathryn “Kate” Franklin, Atlanta, GA; John Matthew “Matt” Staples, Blairsville; and Hilary Staples (Robert Begg), Indiana. She has nine surviving grandchildren: Brittany McDonald, Megan Richardson (Omri), Kevin Stapleton (Aubree), Derek, Riley and Dylan (Alaina) Stapleton, Rachel Staples (Jake), Adrian Staples, and Jaydon Franklin, and three great grandchildren: Quinn, Liam and Logan. She is also remembered by her brother, Richard McDonald (Helen), Fredericksburg, TX, several nieces and nephews and by her second husband, James Staples, Indiana.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Louis Richardson.
Friends will be received Wednesday, September 14th, from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Rairigh-Bence Funeral Home & Crematory of Indiana, 965 Philadelphia Street. Her funeral service will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM at the Christ Episcopal Church, 902 Philadelphia St., Indiana. Rev. William Geiger, officiating. Burial will follow at the Marion Center Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Coal Country Hangout Youth Center (CCHYC), 3909 Bigler Avenue, Northern Cambria, PA 15714.
Online condolences may be offered by visiting: rbfh.net.