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Obituary for Delbert C. Staley

Delbert C.  Staley

Delbert C. Staley
Obituary

DELBERT C. STALEY RYE, NY

Delbert C. (“Bud”) Staley, 93 of Rye, NY, beloved husband of the late Ingrid Staley, passed away October 10, 2017. Bud was born September 16, 1924 in Hammond, IN. He is survived by his sister, Edith Ewbank; his children: Crista Ellis of Saratoga Springs, NY, Clifford Staley of Delray Beach, FL and Cori Staley of Lake Forest, IL; his grandchildren: Trevor Ellis, Megan Gatto, Ingrid Ianoale, and Ian Ianoale; and his great-grandchildren: Griffin Ellis and Quinn Ellis. He was preceded in death by his wife Ingrid Staley, his daughter Cynthia Staley, and his four brothers: Eugene, Leo, Donald (“Butch”), and Jack.

Bud started his career by enlisting in the Army in World War II, where he served as a telecommunications technician. It was while he was stationed in occupied Denmark that he met his wife of 62 years, Ingrid. In 1946, after the war had ended, he carried his telecommunication skills to Illinois Bell Telephone, where he started as an installer and rose through management ranks.

He was appointed vice president of operations for Illinois Bell in 1972 and president of Indiana Bell in 1976. In 1978, he went to AT&T as vice president of marketing, sales and services. He was elected president of New York Telephone in 1979 and assumed the post of chairman of NYNEX in 1983. Retiring as chairman and CEO of NYNEX in 1989, he continued to work in the telecommunications field, well into his 80s.

He served on the boards of Alcatel, Allied Signal, Ball Corporation, Bank of New York, Dean Foods, Digital Equipment Corporation, John Hancock, New York Racing Association, Polaroid, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and SRA International. Bud was also very involved in supporting the Red Cross, receiving a humanitarian award for contributions to the welfare of New Yorkers in 1990.

Although he did not hold a college degree, Bud studied briefly at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN, which in 1981 honored him with an honorary doctorate in engineering. He also held an honorary doctor of law degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Bud’s career took him to Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. Despite rising up as far as he did in the field, he was always humble, often telling people “Not bad for an onion picker from Indiana.”

A private family graveside service was held at Greenwood Union Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life in Rye.

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