Kenneth Levant Staley

Kenneth Levant Staley passed away on August 6, 2019 in St. George, Utah.  He was born on June 13, 1936 in Westwood, California to Thomas Levant Staley and Nelda Louise Hales.  He married Nadine Joan Silva on September 4, 1957 in the Los Angeles, California LDS temple.

Ken and Nadine raised their family in Oroville, California and were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Ken served as a Bishop in the Oroville 1st Ward, High Councilman, Seminary Teacher and worked with Nadine in the Oakland, California LDS temple.  He loved teaching and received his Master’s Degree in education from Chico State University.  Ken’s 40 year career was spent teaching and some time as principal, but his favorite time was in the classroom.

He loved his family above all else.  When his kids were young he loved taking them camping all along the California coast, especially amongst the redwoods and National Parks.  He collected baseball cards and went to many baseball card shows in California.

After the kids were married he spent a lot of time with Nadine on their “Hobby Farm” making crafts, glass work and wood work and included sheep, geese, rabbits and cats.   He made a beautiful solid wood dining room table and numerous bird houses.  After his retirement Ken and Nadine moved to Utah, where he joined the Sons of Utah Pioneers and enjoyed attending the various activities with the members.

Ken loved cheeseburgers and fries from Wendy’s, almost every day.  Dessert was Milky Ways and strawberry milkshakes.  His favorite TV shows were Hee Haw, Looney Tunes Road Runner, NCIS, Father Brown, Blue Bloods and Murder She Wrote.

One of Ken’s favorite vacations was to the Azores in 2008 with Nadine and his three children, Brenda, Valerie and Derek.  He especially loved being crammed into the back seat of a small sedan with 5 people, suitcases and the ferry ride in very rough waters. 

Ken is survived by his wife of almost 62 years, Nadine Joan Staley and their three children:  Brenda Louise (Harold) Studley, Valerie Dawn (Winn) Spackman and Derek Levant (Shannon) Staley, as well as 8 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 2 on the way.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Nelda and his sister Jeanne Conway.

Graveside services will be held August 8, 2019 at 9 AM at the Tonaquint Cemetery in St. George, Utah.