Carol Ann Staley was born October 18, 1936, in Chicago, Illinois to Richard O. and Emily O. Urban. She lived and went to school in Illinois until age 12, when the family moved to an 80-acre farm in North Central Indiana, near Winamac. In the 6th grade, she attended a two-room school in Denham, Indiana. There were four grades in each classroom.
Junior high and high school were spent at a rural school in North Judson, Indiana. She loved high school and couldn’t wait for Monday mornings There was an hour ride to and from school on the school bus.
Summer vacations were spent trying to earn money for clothing and school supplies, working on a farm that grew mint, and in a corn field hoeing and pulling weeds on hands and knees. For a meager $.50 an hour, the work was hot, dirty and the hours were long. She felt a great accomplishment when she got a raise to $.75 an hour.
She graduated from North Judson High School in 1954, majoring in English, Science and Math. At age 18, she married Robert E. McCormack. They had five children: JoAnn, Robert, Donald, Janet and Diann. Their first years were spent in Indiana.
In 1971, the family moved from Hammond, Indiana to Phoenix, Arizona. She did clerical work for the Glendale Union High School District for 9 years and Honeywell Flight System Facility for 7 years. She retired in 1998.
In 1986, after 32 years of marriage, Robert and Carol got divorced.
In 1987, she married Leroy Staley. They moved several times in their marriage, including a move to Bedford, Texas for a job for Leroy. After a year, they moved back to Phoenix to be closer to their grandchildren. In March 2008, they moved from Dewey, Arizona to Kingman, Arizona. They joined the congregation of Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in 2018.
Carol’s hobbies are painting, sewing, quilting and other crafts, as well as reading and playing computer games.
Carol is predeceased by her former husband, Robert McCormack; daughter JoAnn, who died at age 5 weeks; son, Donald McCormack; and step-daughter, Cecina Staley.
Carol is survived by her husband, Leroy Staley; children, Robert McCormack, Jr., Janet McCormack Tipton and Diann McCormack McBeath; step-son, Alan Staley; grandchildren, Donald MCormack, Jr., Jason McCormack, Brian McCormack, Michael McBeath, Ashley McBeath, Chris McCormack, Josh McCormack, Matthew McBeath and Nicholas Padnuk; step-grandchildren, Brent Graves, Zayne Womack, Hana Staley and Aidan Staley; great-grandchildren, Matthew Orta, Blake McCormack, Krista McCormack, Aaron Frech, Trace Crowley, Kayson Reeder, Kassidy Reeder, Kynslee McBeath, Alexander McCormack and Kalleigh McBeath; and step great-granddaughter, Violet Womack.
Memorial service will be held Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, with Pastor Mike Gehl officiating.
Burial will be at Heritage Memorial Park in Dewey, Arizona.
Sutton Memorial Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
