Francis Joseph (F.J., “Papa”) Staff, age 92, died peacefully in Houston, Texas on September 16, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. The only child of Matilda Johanna Staff, F.J. was born in Houston, Texas on December 14, 1924. Shortly after his birth he and his mother moved to her hometown of Victoria where he was raised among the large Staff clan including his mother and many cousins, aunts and uncles. In Victoria, he graduated from St. Joseph’s High School and met his future wife, Vida Lucille Kinsey.
F.J. attended briefly the University of Texas before joining the United States Air Force and serving in World War II. He returned to Victoria after his service and lived and worked in south and east Texas for many years. He lived in Victoria, Alice, Liberty, Corpus Christi, Houston and Livingston before moving to Fort Worth and retiring there.
F.J. lived in Fort Worth for more than 20 years where he was a faithful member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church and regularly attended the 7 a.m. weekday service until his health began to fail. In 2013, he moved back to Houston to spend his final years with the Houston branch of his own Staff clan (including two sons; two daughters in law; five grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren).
F.J. is survived by his five children and their spouses: Joel Vincent and Mary Martha Staff of Houston; James Randolph (Randy) and Roxan Staff of Dallas; Marcia Jane Staff and Wayne Mitchell of Denton; Richard Wayne and Victoria Staff of Houston; and Laura Lucille and Patrick Jones of Fort Worth; 11 grandchildren; and 13 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his ex-wife Vida Lucille Kinsey Staff.
A man of boundless energy, optimism and generosity, he instilled in his children a belief in the dignity of hard work. One of F.J.’s proudest achievements was that all five of his children graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He was proudest, however, that all of them were gainfully employed and self-supporting.
A memorial service is scheduled at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Rd, Houston, TX 77056 on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 2 p.m. A private ceremony and interment in the columbarium at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Fort Worth will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to two of F.J.’s favorite charities: the Union Gospel Mission of Fort Worth (1331 E Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76102; www.ugm-tc.org/) or the Presbyterian Night Shelter (2400 Cypress St, Fort Worth, TX 76102; www.pns-tc.org/)
The family would like to thank the staff of the Forum Assisted Living and the Pastoral Care Team at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church for their kindness and support during F.J.’s final years.
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