Edmund Peter “Pete” Staff, III, 69, formerly of Ramsey, died on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, at Heritage Health: Therapy and Senior Care in Pana following a long illness.
Private family services will be conducted Friday, Dec. 18, beginning at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ramsey with the Rev. Father Scott Snider officiating. Public graveside services will follow at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Ramsey with Pastor Harry Kirk assisting. Social distancing will be followed and masks are required. Miller Funeral Home in Ramsey is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Staff was born April 19, 1951, to E.P. and Margaret Staff.
He grew up in Ramsey and graduated from Ramsey High School, where he especially enjoyed French class and chorus. In his younger years, his chore was to milk the family cow, Francis. Later on, he worked at Shangri-La Golf Course, the family business, mowing the greens with a push mower.
Mr. Staff was the manager for the Rams basketball team, and often sang the Star Spangled Banner at home games. He enjoyed being in school plays and showing off his literary skills, reciting “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Thayer and “See’n Things”, many years after he graduated. He was also a graduate of Lake Land College.
He was a true servant of the Lord and often attended daily Mass growing up, and singing O Holy Night at midnight Mass became a tradition. He was well versed in Latin refrains at Mass. He loved to share his love for the Lord, whether in prayer or song, and was blessed with musical talent.
Mr. Staff’s true love was playing Santa Claus during the Christmas season, where he visited schools, churches, the Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, and often made stops at homes. He enjoyed spreading cheer to all and was never short on candy canes or gum to share with kids or customers at the grocery stores he worked at in the Vandalia, Ramsey and Pana areas.
He never knew a stranger and always greeted one with a robust “hello,” “ho ho ho” or high-five. A humble man with many friends, he loved people and they loved him. He had the kindest heart and was a selfless person who was always thinking of others. He endured a lot over the past several years, but he never complained.
Mr. Staff is survived by his siblings, Margaret Jones of Ramsey, Janet (Leonard) Nuzback of Mahomet, Mary Hayes of Concord, NC, Deborah (Ron) Smith of Nashville, IN, Loy (Cheryl) Staff of Ramsey, John (Jill) Staff of Walton, KY, Sylvia (Joe) Thull of Pana; 22 nephews and nieces; and several great-nephews and great-nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law, Donald Jones, Frank Hayes and Mitch Kraynak.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Caring and Sharing c/o FNB Community Bank in Ramsey or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Ramsey.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.millerfh.net.
