Obituary for David Grayson Staggs
David Grayson Staggs, son of the late Mildred Roeschlein and Charles Cecil Staggs, died unexpectedly on January 17th, 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky, ten days after being diagnosed with cancer.
Born in 1937, and raised in Terre Haute, IN, David graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute and earned a master's degree in engineering from the University of Illinois.
Inspired by a desire to serve his country, David joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves prior to attending college. He later left his studies at Rose-Hulman to serve in the U.S Army’s 101st Airborne Division as a specialist in geotechnical and environmental engineering,
David distinguished himself consulting on projects spanning the globe. As a managing partner of Dames & Moore, he oversaw the exponential growth of the Washington, D.C. office, and was general manager of the firm’s southeastern U.S. offices.
Serving on the board of directors, he was instrumental in the evolution of Dames and Moore from a partnership to a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE. Rose-Hulman recognized David’s professional achievements with an honorary doctorate in 1995.
David read avidly, living up to the aspirations of his father who named him after author David Grayson. A true Renaissance man, the breadth of David’s knowledge and interests was astounding. He continually sought to learn not just how things worked, but why.
His keen interest in and openness to alternate perspectives knew no bounds. He was genuine, thoughtful, kind, patient, and loving. David loved the outdoors and enjoyed living for over 40 years in the Washington, D.C. area riding horses, canoeing, and hiking along the banks of the Potomac River.
His wife of 56 years, Sheila Anne Zader, his three daughters, Kathy Uhr (Steve) of Fort Worth, TX; Sheila Sappington (Robert) of Sammamish, WA; and Michelle Staggs (ex-husband Eric Doninger) of Louisville, KY, celebrate David’s life, along with his sisters, Susan Henseler (Hans) of Decatur, IL and Mary Jane Scarbrough (Tom) of Jacksonville, FL, and seven grandchildren: Aly and Grayson Uhr; Grace and William Sappington; and Lilly, Grayson, and Charlotte Doninger. He was preceded in death by his sister, Nancy.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation designated to the David Grayson Staggs Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund via this site at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: www.rose-hulman.edu/staggs
Born in 1937, and raised in Terre Haute, IN, David graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute and earned a master's degree in engineering from the University of Illinois.
Inspired by a desire to serve his country, David joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves prior to attending college. He later left his studies at Rose-Hulman to serve in the U.S Army’s 101st Airborne Division as a specialist in geotechnical and environmental engineering,
David distinguished himself consulting on projects spanning the globe. As a managing partner of Dames & Moore, he oversaw the exponential growth of the Washington, D.C. office, and was general manager of the firm’s southeastern U.S. offices.
Serving on the board of directors, he was instrumental in the evolution of Dames and Moore from a partnership to a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE. Rose-Hulman recognized David’s professional achievements with an honorary doctorate in 1995.
David read avidly, living up to the aspirations of his father who named him after author David Grayson. A true Renaissance man, the breadth of David’s knowledge and interests was astounding. He continually sought to learn not just how things worked, but why.
His keen interest in and openness to alternate perspectives knew no bounds. He was genuine, thoughtful, kind, patient, and loving. David loved the outdoors and enjoyed living for over 40 years in the Washington, D.C. area riding horses, canoeing, and hiking along the banks of the Potomac River.
His wife of 56 years, Sheila Anne Zader, his three daughters, Kathy Uhr (Steve) of Fort Worth, TX; Sheila Sappington (Robert) of Sammamish, WA; and Michelle Staggs (ex-husband Eric Doninger) of Louisville, KY, celebrate David’s life, along with his sisters, Susan Henseler (Hans) of Decatur, IL and Mary Jane Scarbrough (Tom) of Jacksonville, FL, and seven grandchildren: Aly and Grayson Uhr; Grace and William Sappington; and Lilly, Grayson, and Charlotte Doninger. He was preceded in death by his sister, Nancy.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation designated to the David Grayson Staggs Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund via this site at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: www.rose-hulman.edu/staggs