Charles E. Staples

Charles E. Staples, 92, of Easton, PA died Saturday, December 29, 2018 at Country Meadows. Born January 21, 1926 in Easton, he was the son of the late Helen Elizabeth (Snyder) and Paul Winston Staples. He graduated from Easton High School in 1942 and Lafayette College in 1946. After serving as a naval officer in WWII, he received a M.B.A. degree with distinction from Harvard in 1948. He was an advertising and sales executive for Philco Corporation in Philadelphia until he returned to Harvard as an Instructor in Government and Business. He then entered Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Divinity degree in 1955. Except for two years as a parish minister in Stroudsburg, PA, he spent his entire ministry until retirement in 1988 at Lafayette College where he was an Instructor in the Department of Religion, an Admissions Officer and Assistant to the President and Administrative Secretary to the Board of Trustees. During his retirement he was very active as a volunteer receiving several awards for services rendered. For many years, he was a volunteer patient representative at Easton Hospital and a Meals on Wheels volunteer. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of ProJeCt of Easton, Easton Heritage Alliance and Historic Easton Cemetery; a member of the Advisory Board of The Easton Home, the Community Advisory Panel of Ashland Chemical Company, the Lehigh Valley Partnership Religious Community Committee, the Lehigh Presbytery Peacemaking Committee, Parish Associate for Pastoral care and member of the Worship Committee of College Hill Presbyterian Church, Easton. He also served on the Church Relations Council at Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC.He is survived by his sister, Paula S. Ballard of Bethlehem, PA; niece, Jill Hamilton, her husband Will and their 3 sons, Chase, his wife Hannah, Cuyler and Griffin; nephew, Matt Ballard, his wife Samantha and their 3 sons, William, Wyatt and Cooper; Henry T. Koch III, husband of the late niece Jennifer and their two daughters, Jane and Madeline.Services are private; interment will be in Church Hill Cemetery, Martins Creek, PA. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling arrangements.Memorial contributions may be made to the Paul Winston and Helen Elizabeth Staples Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Lafayette College, Office of Development, 307 Markle Hall, Easton, PA 18042 or to ProJeCt of Easton, 320 Ferry Street, Easton PA 18042. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.