Written by Mary Lendzion
The NMRA family is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Bill Staton.
Bill raced his Mustang in NMRA ARP Open Comp and Brackets, and his wife, Judy, raced her Fairlane in NMRA Circle D Specialties True Street and her Ranchero in NMRA CJ Pony Parts Truck and Lightning.
Personable and popular, Bill and Judy met at the Ford dealership where they worked, fell in love and stayed in close communication when Bill went off to serve our country in the Army in 1965. To this day, Judy suspects that one of the reasons Bill asked her to marry him while he was in basic training in Louisiana was because it was costly to call each other so frequently.
Judy wore a beautiful dress and Bill wore his Army uniform at their wedding at a Methodist church in Frankfort, Illinois, and after welcoming their son, Ronald, and their daughter, Dawn, they were proud to become grandparents to several grandchildren.
On a personal level, I will never forget Bill setting up Judy’s Fairlane so that I could ride as a passenger when she was competing in NMRA Circle D Specialties True Street on the tri-oval at the NMRA/NMCA event at Route 66 Raceway in Illinois a few years ago. He smiled and told me to have fun as I climbed into the passenger’s seat and he closed the door. In addition to being friendly, that smile indicated he knew his wife of five decades was going to mash the gas pedal and maneuver the corners with the best of them, and he was right. She did.
Bill and Judy were the best of friends who shared a beautiful bond in their 56 years of marriage, and we were fortunate to be included in that bond.
We offer our sincere condolences to Judy and her family.
(Photo of Bill and Judy Staton courtesy of Judy Staton)
The NMRA family is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Bill Staton.
Bill raced his Mustang in NMRA ARP Open Comp and Brackets, and his wife, Judy, raced her Fairlane in NMRA Circle D Specialties True Street and her Ranchero in NMRA CJ Pony Parts Truck and Lightning.
Personable and popular, Bill and Judy met at the Ford dealership where they worked, fell in love and stayed in close communication when Bill went off to serve our country in the Army in 1965. To this day, Judy suspects that one of the reasons Bill asked her to marry him while he was in basic training in Louisiana was because it was costly to call each other so frequently.
Judy wore a beautiful dress and Bill wore his Army uniform at their wedding at a Methodist church in Frankfort, Illinois, and after welcoming their son, Ronald, and their daughter, Dawn, they were proud to become grandparents to several grandchildren.
On a personal level, I will never forget Bill setting up Judy’s Fairlane so that I could ride as a passenger when she was competing in NMRA Circle D Specialties True Street on the tri-oval at the NMRA/NMCA event at Route 66 Raceway in Illinois a few years ago. He smiled and told me to have fun as I climbed into the passenger’s seat and he closed the door. In addition to being friendly, that smile indicated he knew his wife of five decades was going to mash the gas pedal and maneuver the corners with the best of them, and he was right. She did.
Bill and Judy were the best of friends who shared a beautiful bond in their 56 years of marriage, and we were fortunate to be included in that bond.
We offer our sincere condolences to Judy and her family.
(Photo of Bill and Judy Staton courtesy of Judy Staton)