Wallace Wilson Staflin

Wallace Wilson Staflin, “Wally”, born June 22, 1917 in Makoti, ND, peacefully passed away on December 27, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. He was 99½ years old. He was preceded in death by his wife Norma (d: 2006), brother, Norman (d: 1999), sister, Bernice (d: 1920) and parents Henry (d: 1961) and Sophia (d: 1957). He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Ron (Wally) and Pat Staflin, of Goodyear, AZ; son, Mike Staflin of Yuma, AZ; daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and Harvey Hirata of Crofton, MD. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Mike Franks, Don Staflin, Jennifer Staflin, Chris Koehler, Stephanie Hirata Huff, Matthew Hirata, Jeffrey Hirata and 7 great-grandchildren: Amanda Skogstad, Kendra Staflin, Jansen, Laurie, Anna, Henry, Catherine and Georgia Koehler.

1937-38, he worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Medicine Lake, WI. He returned to Noonan, ND to work at the family-owned service station 1938-1941. He then worked in the aircraft industry at Douglas Aircraft in El Segundo, CA 1942-1945 where he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in the 8th Air Force, Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan until 1946. After the war, he worked in family-owned Staflin and Son Tavern in Noonan, ND until moving to Anacortes in 1949. 1949-54 he worked on the family farm in Summit Park, had a barber shop and worked at Versatile Products, Inc. in Anacortes. In 1954, he went to work at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, retiring in1980 after 26 years of US Government Civil Service.

He was a member of the VFW, American Legion and Knights of Columbus. He previously held membership in the Sons of Norway and VASA Lodge (Swedish).

A funeral will be held at 12:00pm on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 at St Henry Catholic Church 24750 W Lower Buckeye Rd, Buckeye, AZ 85326. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Special Olympics Arizona Southwest Valley Geckos. Burial will take place at Fern Hill Cemetery in Anacortes WA at a future date.