Wiliam (Bill) Richard Stahley, Jr, passed away on January 16th in his sleep at age 97. He was predeceased by his wife Joan Lillian Stahley (Melville) (November 2018), his son Richard William Stahley (December 2024) and his daughter Deborah Ann Boop (Stahley) (July 2020) and son-in-law Charles Boop (February 2015).  He will be missed by his daughter, Susan Elizabeth Stahley, his sister Jane Elizabeth O’Connell (Stahley), granddaughter Jaclyn Diane Boop-Loope (Jonathon) and three great grandchildren – Nicholas (14), Lillian (11), and Eden (7) as well as his sister-in-law Barbara Vasquez (Melville) (Anthony) and brother-in-law Thomas Melville (Patty) in addition to his cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Born to William R. Stahley Sr and Ruey Stahley (Skinner) in 1928, he grew up in Hicksville NY.  1n 1951 he was drafted into the army where he served for 13 months in the 38th Field Artillery Battalion 2nd Infantry Division as a “computer” for the Army Field Artillery during the Korean War, where he reached the status of corporal. On return from his military duties he was blessed to meet and marry his wife, Joan Lillian Melville in 1955 and they often fondly declared that they were each other’s “One And Only”.  He served 30 years with the United States Post Office. the majority of that time as a “Walking Mailman”.  He additionally worked part-time as a school bus driver and for a brief period of time as a dispatcher for the Hicksville NY Fire Department. He volunteered many years for Hicksville’s Independent Engine & Hose Company No. 2 including duties as a captain, treasurer and photographer.

In 1989 he and his wife Joan retired to Holiday, Florida and became active with VFW Post 10167, serving as post Commander 1998-1999 as well as Chaplin for many years. He and Joan were super volunteers helping out with the many numerous events at the post and earned the nickname “Bingo Bill”, serving at the post as the bingo caller for over 15 years. Born and raised Episcopalian, he and his wife faithfully attended St Stephen’s Epicopal Church in New Port Richey. Their shared love of traveling in their travel trailer took them to almost every state in the US as well as in Canada, he often talked about “surviving” pulling the trailer on the Alaskan Highway.

Services to be held graveside at the Florida National Veterans Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. (Pending date last week of February)

https://dobiesfuneralhome.com/

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to:

VFW Post 10167 (14619 Bartelt Road Holiday, FL 34690 (727-938-5977)

St Stephen’s Episcopal Church  5326 Charles St New Port Richey, FL 34652 (727) 849-4330)