Suffolk - BJ Staley, 81, passed away on Wednesday, May 30, at his home. Bill was born on November 22, 1930, in Huntington, West Virginia. He married the love of his life, June Staley, 64 years ago, on June 18, 1948 in Norfolk County. The happy couple had four children, Mary S. Fisher and husband Mike, William T. Staley and wife Leslie, M. Stephen Staley and wife Susan, David C. Staley and wife Paula, who have blessed them with eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren.


Bill built his family's first home in Great Bridge in 1956 and followed with many more. He completed the last one at the age of 78. He and his family were active members of Great Bridge Congregational Christian Church. Bill enjoyed baseball, golf, and fishing, but was passionate about hunting. He was the President of the Joyner Hunt Club and built the organization's clubhouse in 1993. Bill was a jack of all trades who held his first paying job at the tender age of 10. He founded Automatic Transmission Exchange in Suffolk in 1979 and ran the business until 2010 when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

A funeral service will be held Friday, June 1, 2012, at 11 a.m., at Parr Funeral Home & Crematory, 3515 Robs Dr., Suffolk, VA 23434 with Rev. Ernest L. Trueblood officiating. Interment will follow at Nansemond-Suffolk Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com