Calvin L. Staley

Calvin Lee Staley was born in Portland, OR, on October 29, 1961, to Milton Douglas Staley and Mary Lee Jones Staley.  His siblings Cheryl and Sherry, Milton, Myron, Calvin, Brian, Sheila, and Althea welcomed him into the family.

At an early age, he entered the foster care system and, after several moves, landed in the home of the Knappers at the age of 10.  There, he inherited a large family of brothers and sisters with Cora Knapper as his foster mother and became brothers to Donald Knapper, age 9, and Ronnie Vidal, age 11.  Two years in, his foster mother passed away, and he came under the care 

of his foster sister, Brenda Knapper, who was only 19 herself. 

Growing up, he attended Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, where he was baptized early.  Brenda kept the boys busy.  They spent many weekends playing sports at Irvington Park. Ronnie, Calvin, and Donnie looked forward to being escorts to the girls who competed in the annual Junior Miss Black Oregon pageant, fighting who was going to escort who,

He attended Sabin Elementary and Grant High School and later relocated to Seattle, WA, where he was reunited with his biological family.

Calvin was the proud father of Keisha, Calvin Jr., Tierra, and Lewis Staley.   

In 2017, he married Sophia Ann Harrison and became the stepfather to Ventris, Jerrell, and Rochelle.  He was self-employed in the field of landscaping. He was an avid lover of basketball, football, and golf.  Of course, his favorite team was the Seattle Seahawks.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Douglas and Mary Lee Staley, and his brothers, Milton and Myron Staley.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Sophia Ann Harrison Staley; his children Tiffany L. Younger, Kesha Lee Staley, Calvin Lee Staley Jr., Tiara Patreace, and Lewis B. Oneil; his stepchildren Ventris, Jerrell, and Rochelle, siblings Cheryl Staley Reese and Sheri, Brian, Sheila, and Althea Staley, and grandchildren Galiysha T. Nesbitt, Myaria R. Campbell, Iyonna McLemore, and Wayne Genesis Nyamote.

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