Obituary of John M. Staley, PhD

Dr. John Morris Staley of Lockport, NY passed away May 17, 2020 after a long battle with kidney disease. Born January 1, 1947 in Gantt, Alabama to Willie Mae (Crowell) & Issac Donald Staley, Dr. Staley is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Sharon Shepard-Staley; and daughter Afi Ayanna of San Francisco; son Ezra (Holly) Staley of Lockport; granddaughter Zara; siblings Donald (deceased), Dorothy Beasley, Howard, Alvina; as well as many nieces, nephews and dear friends. Dr. Staley retired from a distinguished career at the University at Buffalo in 2008 after serving as Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Associate Vice President for Public Service and Urban Affairs, and Headmaster of the Cora P. Maloney College, among other professional responsibilities. He also co-chaired the President's Task Force on the Status of UB Women, which helped establish the Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender, and a North Campus site for the UB Child Care Center. Dr. Staley was a tireless advocate for policies that addressed the inequalities of underrepresented students in higher education, as well as improving women's salary disparities through career advancement. Among his many achievements, Dr. Staley was most proud of the impact that he had on the lives of the many students with whom he maintained relationships with after his retirement. His legacy touched the lives of many first generation college students. Dr. Staley was a man of great faith who served as an Elder at the Lockport Seventh-Day Adventist Church. He was also an avid fan of Bob Dylan, and extremely passionate about all music and the arts. He considered himself a proud alumnus of the “College of Musical Knowledge”. The family plans to schedule a memorial service at a later date to celebrate Dr. Staley’s life and impact. He will be laid to rest at St. Matthew’s Cemetery in West Seneca, NY, at a future date. Dr. Staley was the grateful recipient of a kidney transplant in 2007 and therefore his family kindly requests that donations be made in his honor to ConnectLife (formerly UNYTS), 4444 Bryant and Stratton Way, Williamsville, NY 14221 or at www.connectlife.org .