Beth Stapleton, of McKinney, Texas, went to be with the Lord on February 12, 2022.
She was born on December 30, 1929 to Hubert White and Mae Beth (Bryan) White of McKinney. She grew up in McKinney and graduated from Boyd High School. Upon graduation, Beth attended Baylor University.
At the urging of her favorite high school English teacher, Miss Ruth Dowell, Beth attended several summer sessions at SMU, then transferred her credits to Baylor and graduated from BU, completing a degree in English, in three years.
While at Baylor, Beth met Bob Stapleton, who attended Baylor on a G.I. bill as a recent veteran of WWII. During their time at the university, Bob was chosen as the first Cadet Captain of the newly formed Baylor University Air Force ROTC; Beth was named ROTC Sweetheart. She was an active member in the Alpha Omega Sorority. Upon graduation, Bob was commissioned in the USAF and served in Korea.
Beth went on to pursue a master’s degree in education at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. Her love for teaching began while there. She returned to Baylor to serve as Assistant Dean of Women.
In 1954, Beth and Bob married in Waco, Texas, and they immediately drove to Great Falls, Montana, where Bob was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base to complete his remaining years in the service. They eventually returned to Texas, moving to Fort Worth and then to Dallas. Finally, in 1968, the Stapletons moved to McKinney, where Beth taught in the McKinney High School English Department for many years.
Knowing that her own accomplishments were not adequate to be counted righteous in God’s eyes, Beth trusted Jesus Christ as her Savior. She eagerly shared the gospel with friends, beginning by saying, “Have you met my Jesus?”
Beth learned to swim as an adult, and she maintained certifications as a swim instructor through Red Cross. She and Bob taught Red Cross swim lessons in McKinney, as well as certifying lifeguards at the beginning of summer camp season for seven years at His Hill Ranch Camp in Comfort, Texas. She continued swimming until age 90.
In 1988, Beth accepted a position with Hope for the Heart . Her proofreading and copyediting skills and her dedication to citing sources for research and product development set the standard for many publications during the twenty-one years she worked there. Beth was always willing to share her knowledge and train others, and in the process, she developed several lifelong friends at work.
Beth is survived by her son, Michael Stapleton and his wife, Elizabeth, of Lexington, Kentucky, and daughter, Anne Skrabanek and husband, Ron, of Marlin, Texas, as well as her grandchildren, Colin Stapleton and his wife, Meghan, Bryan Stapleton, and Caroline Stapleton; Sarah Skrabanek, Ben Skrabanek, and Rebecca Skrabanek.
She is also survived by her beloved brother, Bryan White and his wife, Charlyne, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Bob Stapleton.
Her family would like to thank Visiting Angels of McKinney, Dallas Hospice and Palliative Care, and Redbud Place Assisted Living for their kind and compassionate care for Beth over the years.
Romans 14:8 (ESV)
“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
Family and friends are invited to Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North in Allen, Texas at their convenience to sign the register book. A private graveside service will be held at Pecan Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Collin County History Museum, 300 East Virginia Street, McKinney, TX 75069, or His Hill Ranch Camp, Attn: Business Dept., Scholarship Camp Fund, P.O. Box 9, Comfort, TX 78013.