George Clayton Stapleton, age 93, of Marshall, died on Tuesday, October 30th, 2014.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30pm on Monday, November 3rd at First United Methodist Church in Marshall. Inurnment, with military rites, will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 to 1:30pm on Monday at the church. Memorials may be made to Fitzgibbon Hospital in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall.
George Clayton Stapleton is the second-most winning coach in Iowa State University's football history, a football player, athletic director, World War II Veteran, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather."Coach" Stapleton as he was known during his career and among friends, family, and former players, was born June 24, 1921 in the coal mining town of Jenkins, Kentucky. He earned a football scholarship and played for legendary coach General Robert Leyland while a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When war broke out after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7th, 1941, he and his roommate, Robert Hicks, volunteered for the United States Navy, leaving a sign on their dorm room door in 1942 that read "Gone Fishing". Coach Stapleton served as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy stationed out of Guam from 1942-45. He returned to play in the 1946 Orange Bowl as a guard.
After a stint as a Tennessee graduate assistant under Neyland, Stapleton held assistant coaching posts at Wofford College and University of Wyoming before becoming First Assistant and Line Coach at Oregon State University under Head Coach Tommy Prothro (LA Rams/ San Diego Chargers), including a visit to the 1957 Rose Bowl.
In 1958, Stapleton became the Head Football Coach at Iowa State University, amassing 42 wins in 10 years to rank second in all-time coaching wins. His legendary 1959 team, known as "The Dirty Thirty," down to only 30 players due to injuries, came within one win of going to the Orange Bowl. During his tenure he coached six All Americans and sent 13 players into eight major bowl or all-star games. He was also coach and mentor to fellow Tennessean and nationally competitive coach John Cooper (Arizona State, Ohio State). Coach Stapleton served as Iowa State's Athletic Director from 1967-70, and was instrumental in the beginning phases of building a new football stadium, basketball arena, and the hiring of multiple national champion coaches and another Tennessee native, Johnny Majors. He was also instrumental in bringing back the fabled Iowa – Iowa State rivalry along with Iowa Athletic Director Forrest Evashevski. He was inducted in to the university's Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 1971, Coach Stapleton left ISU to become Athletic Director at Florida State University and in 18 months scheduled an unheard of 72 games in an effort to garner the pre-sold share of gate proceeds for games at visiting stadiums. In the process, he was able to build FSU's financial base and enable new coach, Bobby Bowden to have a rather challenging schedule, earning victories against some of the country's toughest programs. Coach Stapleton completed his athletic career at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, serving as Athletic Director from 1972-78, before retiring to his wife Ann's hometown in Marshall, Missouri.
Mr. Stapleton is preceded in death by his first wife Edith and second wife, Ann (Waldorf), his parents, Marie and Paul, stepmother, Della, his brother Edward and his sister, Pauline Collier. He is survived by his siblings Charles "Ovie" Stapleton of Estacada, Oregon, James Stapleton of Jonesboro, Tennessee, Timothy Stapleton of Portland, Oregon and Sue Shields of Rogersville, Tennessee as well as children, Susan (Rob Wilson), Jan (Jim Crapenhoft), and Van (Stephanie); his grandchildren, Ryan and Patrick Guthrie, Sonya Lawrence, Nathan, Emma and Samuel Stapleton, and Matalin Page, and one great-grandson, Jordan.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30pm on Monday, November 3rd at First United Methodist Church in Marshall. Inurnment, with military rites, will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 to 1:30pm on Monday at the church. Memorials may be made to Fitzgibbon Hospital in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall.
George Clayton Stapleton is the second-most winning coach in Iowa State University's football history, a football player, athletic director, World War II Veteran, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather."Coach" Stapleton as he was known during his career and among friends, family, and former players, was born June 24, 1921 in the coal mining town of Jenkins, Kentucky. He earned a football scholarship and played for legendary coach General Robert Leyland while a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When war broke out after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7th, 1941, he and his roommate, Robert Hicks, volunteered for the United States Navy, leaving a sign on their dorm room door in 1942 that read "Gone Fishing". Coach Stapleton served as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy stationed out of Guam from 1942-45. He returned to play in the 1946 Orange Bowl as a guard.
After a stint as a Tennessee graduate assistant under Neyland, Stapleton held assistant coaching posts at Wofford College and University of Wyoming before becoming First Assistant and Line Coach at Oregon State University under Head Coach Tommy Prothro (LA Rams/ San Diego Chargers), including a visit to the 1957 Rose Bowl.
In 1958, Stapleton became the Head Football Coach at Iowa State University, amassing 42 wins in 10 years to rank second in all-time coaching wins. His legendary 1959 team, known as "The Dirty Thirty," down to only 30 players due to injuries, came within one win of going to the Orange Bowl. During his tenure he coached six All Americans and sent 13 players into eight major bowl or all-star games. He was also coach and mentor to fellow Tennessean and nationally competitive coach John Cooper (Arizona State, Ohio State). Coach Stapleton served as Iowa State's Athletic Director from 1967-70, and was instrumental in the beginning phases of building a new football stadium, basketball arena, and the hiring of multiple national champion coaches and another Tennessee native, Johnny Majors. He was also instrumental in bringing back the fabled Iowa – Iowa State rivalry along with Iowa Athletic Director Forrest Evashevski. He was inducted in to the university's Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 1971, Coach Stapleton left ISU to become Athletic Director at Florida State University and in 18 months scheduled an unheard of 72 games in an effort to garner the pre-sold share of gate proceeds for games at visiting stadiums. In the process, he was able to build FSU's financial base and enable new coach, Bobby Bowden to have a rather challenging schedule, earning victories against some of the country's toughest programs. Coach Stapleton completed his athletic career at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, serving as Athletic Director from 1972-78, before retiring to his wife Ann's hometown in Marshall, Missouri.
Mr. Stapleton is preceded in death by his first wife Edith and second wife, Ann (Waldorf), his parents, Marie and Paul, stepmother, Della, his brother Edward and his sister, Pauline Collier. He is survived by his siblings Charles "Ovie" Stapleton of Estacada, Oregon, James Stapleton of Jonesboro, Tennessee, Timothy Stapleton of Portland, Oregon and Sue Shields of Rogersville, Tennessee as well as children, Susan (Rob Wilson), Jan (Jim Crapenhoft), and Van (Stephanie); his grandchildren, Ryan and Patrick Guthrie, Sonya Lawrence, Nathan, Emma and Samuel Stapleton, and Matalin Page, and one great-grandson, Jordan.
George Clayton Stapleton, age 93, of Marshall, died on Tuesday, October 30th, 2014.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30pm on Monday, November 3rd at First United Methodist Church in Marshall. Inurnment, with military rites, will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 to 1:30pm on Monday at the church. Memorials may be made to Fitzgibbon Hospital in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall.
George Clayton Stapleton is the second-most winning coach in Iowa State University's football history, a football player, athletic director, World War II Veteran, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather."Coach" Stapleton as he was known during his career and among friends, family, and former players, was born June 24, 1921 in the coal mining town of Jenkins, Kentucky. He earned a football scholarship and played for legendary coach General Robert Leyland while a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When war broke out after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7th, 1941, he and his roommate, Robert Hicks, volunteered for the United States Navy, leaving a sign on their dorm room door in 1942 that read "Gone Fishing". Coach Stapleton served as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy stationed out of Guam from 1942-45. He returned to play in the 1946 Orange Bowl as a guard.
After a stint as a Tennessee graduate assistant under Neyland, Stapleton held assistant coaching posts at Wofford College and University of Wyoming before becoming First Assistant and Line Coach at Oregon State University under Head Coach Tommy Prothro (LA Rams/ San Diego Chargers), including a visit to the 1957 Rose Bowl.
In 1958, Stapleton became the Head Football Coach at Iowa State University, amassing 42 wins in 10 years to rank second in all-time coaching wins. His legendary 1959 team, known as "The Dirty Thirty," down to only 30 players due to injuries, came within one win of going to the Orange Bowl. During his tenure he coached six All Americans and sent 13 players into eight major bowl or all-star games. He was also coach and mentor to fellow Tennessean and nationally competitive coach John Cooper (Arizona State, Ohio State). Coach Stapleton served as Iowa State's Athletic Director from 1967-70, and was instrumental in the beginning phases of building a new football stadium, basketball arena, and the hiring of multiple national champion coaches and another Tennessee native, Johnny Majors. He was also instrumental in bringing back the fabled Iowa – Iowa State rivalry along with Iowa Athletic Director Forrest Evashevski. He was inducted in to the university's Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 1971, Coach Stapleton left ISU to become Athletic Director at Florida State University and in 18 months scheduled an unheard of 72 games in an effort to garner the pre-sold share of gate proceeds for games at visiting stadiums. In the process, he was able to build FSU's financial base and enable new coach, Bobby Bowden to have a rather challenging schedule, earning victories against some of the country's toughest programs. Coach Stapleton completed his athletic career at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, serving as Athletic Director from 1972-78, before retiring to his wife Ann's hometown in Marshall, Missouri.
Mr. Stapleton is preceded in death by his first wife Edith and second wife, Ann (Waldorf), his parents, Marie and Paul, stepmother, Della, his brother Edward and his sister, Pauline Collier. He is survived by his siblings Charles "Ovie" Stapleton of Estacada, Oregon, James Stapleton of Jonesboro, Tennessee, Timothy Stapleton of Portland, Oregon and Sue Shields of Rogersville, Tennessee as well as children, Susan (Rob Wilson), Jan (Jim Crapenhoft), and Van (Stephanie); his grandchildren, Ryan and Patrick Guthrie, Sonya Lawrence, Nathan, Emma and Samuel Stapleton, and Matalin Page, and one great-grandson, Jordan.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30pm on Monday, November 3rd at First United Methodist Church in Marshall. Inurnment, with military rites, will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 to 1:30pm on Monday at the church. Memorials may be made to Fitzgibbon Hospital in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall.
George Clayton Stapleton is the second-most winning coach in Iowa State University's football history, a football player, athletic director, World War II Veteran, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather."Coach" Stapleton as he was known during his career and among friends, family, and former players, was born June 24, 1921 in the coal mining town of Jenkins, Kentucky. He earned a football scholarship and played for legendary coach General Robert Leyland while a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When war broke out after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7th, 1941, he and his roommate, Robert Hicks, volunteered for the United States Navy, leaving a sign on their dorm room door in 1942 that read "Gone Fishing". Coach Stapleton served as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy stationed out of Guam from 1942-45. He returned to play in the 1946 Orange Bowl as a guard.
After a stint as a Tennessee graduate assistant under Neyland, Stapleton held assistant coaching posts at Wofford College and University of Wyoming before becoming First Assistant and Line Coach at Oregon State University under Head Coach Tommy Prothro (LA Rams/ San Diego Chargers), including a visit to the 1957 Rose Bowl.
In 1958, Stapleton became the Head Football Coach at Iowa State University, amassing 42 wins in 10 years to rank second in all-time coaching wins. His legendary 1959 team, known as "The Dirty Thirty," down to only 30 players due to injuries, came within one win of going to the Orange Bowl. During his tenure he coached six All Americans and sent 13 players into eight major bowl or all-star games. He was also coach and mentor to fellow Tennessean and nationally competitive coach John Cooper (Arizona State, Ohio State). Coach Stapleton served as Iowa State's Athletic Director from 1967-70, and was instrumental in the beginning phases of building a new football stadium, basketball arena, and the hiring of multiple national champion coaches and another Tennessee native, Johnny Majors. He was also instrumental in bringing back the fabled Iowa – Iowa State rivalry along with Iowa Athletic Director Forrest Evashevski. He was inducted in to the university's Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 1971, Coach Stapleton left ISU to become Athletic Director at Florida State University and in 18 months scheduled an unheard of 72 games in an effort to garner the pre-sold share of gate proceeds for games at visiting stadiums. In the process, he was able to build FSU's financial base and enable new coach, Bobby Bowden to have a rather challenging schedule, earning victories against some of the country's toughest programs. Coach Stapleton completed his athletic career at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, serving as Athletic Director from 1972-78, before retiring to his wife Ann's hometown in Marshall, Missouri.
Mr. Stapleton is preceded in death by his first wife Edith and second wife, Ann (Waldorf), his parents, Marie and Paul, stepmother, Della, his brother Edward and his sister, Pauline Collier. He is survived by his siblings Charles "Ovie" Stapleton of Estacada, Oregon, James Stapleton of Jonesboro, Tennessee, Timothy Stapleton of Portland, Oregon and Sue Shields of Rogersville, Tennessee as well as children, Susan (Rob Wilson), Jan (Jim Crapenhoft), and Van (Stephanie); his grandchildren, Ryan and Patrick Guthrie, Sonya Lawrence, Nathan, Emma and Samuel Stapleton, and Matalin Page, and one great-grandson, Jordan.
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