Oct 19, 1932 - Apr 29, 2018
Reginald Francis "Reg" Staples passed away suddenly on April 29, 2018 at the age of 85.
Reg was the beloved husband of 63 years to Patricia "Pat" Ann (Miller) Staples; father of Jan (George Henry - Vancouver, British Columbia) and Bob (Yolande Westra - Grande Prairie, Alberta); grandfather to Leah, Erin, Evan, Nicole, and Dario Staples; and uncle to David, John and Alyson Townsend, and Donald and Pamela Miller.
Reg was born on October 19, 1932 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, to Kenneth Henry Staples and Florence Caldwell. He was predeceased by his sister, Shirley Townsend (Bill Townsend). Reg's formative years were spent in Fredericton. He played basketball and rugby in high school, and still liked to impress his grandchildren with his "two hand set shot" on special occasions.
After graduating from Fredericton High School in 1949, Reg began his studies at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Engineering. In 1953, he was accepted into Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, MA where he graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1954. His engineering career started with INCO in Sudbury, ON (1954-1958). He went on to work at UniRoyal Chemical as a Senior Engineer/Manager for 35 years (1958-1993) in Elmira, ON; Edmonton, AB; and again, in Elmira, ON. In the 5-year old eyes of his son, he was known for being able to "make pentachlorophenol out of nothing."
In retirement, Reg was a dedicated member of the Kiwanis Club in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. He helped revitalize the Kiwanis Passamaquoddy Bay Campground, and was acknowledged with a Kiwanis International Lifetime membership for his 20 years of outstanding community service to St. Andrews, NB.
In 2013, after a decade of snow-birding, Reg and Pat finally traded harsh Atlantic winters for the warmth of both the climate and people of Qualicum Beach, BC.
Reg could always be found enjoying a good book or newspaper, and loved bridge, chess, woodworking, and golf. He was a longstanding member of both the Cutten Club, Guelph, ON and St. Andrew's Golf Club, NB. Reg stayed current with world, community and family events. He enjoyed riding his bike and hiking the trails of Qualicum Beach well into his 86th year. Reg was a loyal fan of Toronto Blue Jays since opening day in April 1977.
Reg loved visits from his children and grandchildren, and always enjoyed sending them on their way with his famous blueberry pancakes.
Reg was always ready to travel and was particularly fond of cruises, where he enjoyed everything from jazz and nightly concerts, to daily lectures on wide-ranging topics. At the time of his passing, Reg and Pat were planning their next cruise. His wit, sharp mind, steadiness, gentle kindness, and thoughtful companionship will be dearly missed.
A memorial service will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kiwanis Club in St. Andrew's, New Brunswick in his name.
To send a condolence to the family please visit www.yatesmemorial.ca
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