[Nfbofnc] The Passing of a Giant

[Gary Ray]

Fellow NC Federationists:

 

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Hazel Staley of
Charlotte last Thursday.  Hazel died at 96.

 

For many years she was a leader of the Federation at the local, state, and
national level.  In 1989, she won the Ten Brook award which is the highest
award given by the Federation.

 

Anyone wishing to make a donation in her memory is urged to make a specific
donation to the Robert and Hazel Staley Scholarship fund.  Be sure to make
checks payable to NFB of NC and mark all such donations clearly and send to:

Boyce Locklear

P O Box 2633.

Lumberton, NC 28359

 

Here is the obit from the Charlotte paper:

 

Ruth Hazel Staley, age 96, of Charlotte passed away Thursday, May 30, 2013.
She was born August 17, 1916 in Union County, North Carolina the daughter
and last surviving of six children to the late Noah Ephraim Long and Cora
Benton Long. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 66 years,
Robert "Bob" Staley. Hazel lost her sight when she was two years old as a
result of meningitis and she graduated from the Morehead School for the
Blind in Raleigh, North Carolina. She became an advocate and role model for
generations and later followed her heart by achieving a Master's Degree in
Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1947
she met and married Bob and in 1951 welcomed their only son Ken. Hazel was
active in the Parent Teachers Association, later working her way to
President of the Board where she increased the funding and parent
involvement. She was active in Eastern Hills Baptist Church and was a Sunday
school teacher for most of her adult life. She taught Braille for the
Metrolina Association for the Blind (1968), joined the National Federation
of the Blind in 1969 and that year was elected president of the Charlotte
chapter, a position she held for three years. In September of 1972 she was
elected president of the North Carolina affiliate. She was on the board of
the Federation from 1974 until 1976 then resigned to take a position with
the Brotherhood for the Blind and was secretary on their boards through
1988. Under her leadership legislation was passed to help the Blind such as
the White Cane Law. In 1978 she was chosen as the Outstanding Charlotte
Citizen of the Year and had continued work with the boards she served
throughout her lifetime. Surviving are her son, Kenneth Staley and wife
Terri; grand-daughters, Rebecca Staley and Brennan Hill; great grandchild,
Arden Hill; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. A funeral service will
be held 2:00 PM Saturday, June 1, 2013 at McEwen Funeral Service, 5716
Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28212. Interment will follow in Sharon Memorial
Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service
at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Eastern
Hills Baptist Church, 4855 Albemarle Road, Charlotte, NC 28205 or the
National Federation of the Blind, www.nfb.org . To view her biography or
leave a condolence at www.McEwenfs.com . . Published in Charlotte Observer
on May 31, 2013. 

 

Gary Ray