John Jerome Staton ’51

John Jerome Staton ’51 died on April 14 in Carmel, Indiana. Jerry was for 35 years a pastoral minister, serving four Midwestern churches and contributing richly to the communities in which they were located. Born and raised in Ohio, Jerry came to Dartmouth from Columbus. He majored in comparative literature and philosophy and was an ardent follower of professor Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy. He was president of the Dartmouth Christian Union and a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Green Key, the Glee Club, and the Camera Club. He captained the rifle team. Jerry received his master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York and spent a year of biblical and theological study at Marburg University in Germany. He went on to lead Protestant congregations in Glenwood, Minnesota; LaCrosse, Wisconsin; Kokomo, Indiana; and Green Bay, Wisconsin. He retired to Carmel in 1989. Wherever he lived Jerry was an active member of Rotary; he was recognized by the organization as a Paul Harris Fellow. Other community involvements included the YMCA, the United Way, Family Service, and Habitat for Humanity. He was politically active, with a special commitment to human rights and the environment. He served on the boards of Northland College and the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute. He and his late wife, Shirley, found joy at their island cabin near Ely, Minnesota. Other interests were photography, carpentry, history, and singing in choirs.