William F. "Willie" Staats II

1938 - 2019

William F. (Willie) Staats, II passed away peacefully on November 15, 2019. Willie was born to William and Rena Staats in San Antonio, TX, in 1938. He received his BA from Texas Lutheran University where he and his future wife, Esther, were homecoming king and queen. He went on to receive his doctorate from the University of Texas. Willie enjoyed many years in the banking and finance world, and working was not "work" for him. He cherished the relationships and friends he made. After receiving his PhD, he taught briefly at Rice University, then was called to become vice president and corporate secretary of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the youngest ever at the time to have such a position. He then moved to Baton Rouge, LA, to be closer to his family in Texas. He taught for 30 years at LSU, holding the position of The Hermann Moyse, Jr., Distinguished Professor and Louisiana Bankers Association Chair of Banking. Always a proponent of sharing his insights on the "Big RW" (real world), he was known for asking his banking students to pass a map test on the states. Willie served as Director of the Bankers School for Supervisory Training. He was a member of the faculty at the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, a member of the faculty of the LSU Executive Program, and served on the faculty of several state banking schools as well as the American Bankers Association Graduate School of Compliance Management. He was a director of the Farm Credit Bank of Texas. In addition, he was cofounder and Chairman of the Board of SevenOaks Capital Associates, LLC, and founder of two banks, the New Braunfels National Bank in New Braunfels, TX, and Lakeside Bank in Lake Charles, LA. He also was named to the board of the nation's first bridge bank by the FDIC and served on the Board of Regents of Texas Lutheran University for many years. As an eloquent and compelling communicator, he published many books and articles and was very active on the speaking circuit, making presentations across the nation. He enjoyed voicing his opinion in an opinion column in the Baton Rouge Advocate. He did extensive work as an expert witness in banking cases in several states. Willie loved his family and spending time with his wife and kids. He was also passionate about his volunteer work, serving in many ways over the last 48 years at St. Paul Lutheran Church and in the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge. He served on the board of Money Management International and Consumer Credit Counseling Services, both non-profit organizations providing personal credit and financial counseling and education. His door was always open to students seeking professional advice. He loved country music, managed a band in college, and worked at KWED radio. He became family-famous for his "Monkey, Mouse, and Elephant" stories that he would tell his children every night when they were little. Those stories also reflected his love of animals, particularly dogs. Willie is survived by his wife of 59 years, Esther; his children, Stephen and Kristine; his son-in-law, Allen Brzozowski; his grandchildren, Audrey and Darren Staats and Kaylen and Ryan Brzozowski; his brother-in-law, Paul Collinson-Streng; as well as many beloved cousins, nephews, and nieces. Visitation will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2021 Tara Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, on Saturday, November 23, 2019, from 10:00AM until the time of funeral services at 11:00AM. He will be buried in Sunset Memorial Park in San Antonio, TX. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Willie's name to Alzheimer's Association, St. Paul Lutheran Church, or Texas Lutheran University.