Danny D. Staggs, 79, of Ottumwa died September 7, 2018 at his home.
He was born October 4, 1938 in Hannibal, MO to Arthur Lee and Genevieve Evelyn Baugher Staggs. He married Carol Ann Holland on August 14, 1960. She preceded him in death on March 20, 2016.
A graduate of Keokuk High School, Keokuk Community College and Iowa State Teachers College, he earned his Master’s in Education from NE Missouri State University. Dan started his teaching career at Avon, IL where he taught 2 years. He started teaching P.E. at OHS in 1964. He started the boys tennis team in 1964 and the girls tennis team in 1965 as well as running summer tennis programs. He was also a basketball coach, coaching the sophomore boys basketball team for several years under Coach Kramer and was head boys basketball coach for five years. Along with his career in coaching, he was a referee for high school basketball for many years. Dan retired from teaching in 1997. Even after he retired, he never stopped coaching.
Dan was the 2016 recipient of Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Golden Plaque of Distinction Award and was inducted in 1982 in the Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame. He served on the IGHSAU and IHSAA Tennis Advisory committees. The city of Ottumwa named six tennis courts in his honor.
He was a member of the First Lutheran Church. He enjoyed collecting and customizing old tennis racquets, collecting tennis memorabilia and Standard Oil antiques. He was also an avid St. Louis Cardinal Fan.
Surviving are two sons, Jeff (Shannon) Staggs of North Platte, NE and Gregg (Sherri) Staggs of Oostburg, WI; a son-in-law, Mike Fontana of Ankeny; five grandchildren, Natalie Clark, Taylor, Samantha, Jack and Josh Staggs; two step- grandchildren, Matthew and Emily Fontana and a brother, Ron Staggs of Cincinnati, OH.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Amy Juella Staggs-Fontana and a sister-in-law, Marsha Staggs.
His body has been cremated.
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Friday at the First Lutheran Church with Rev. Mark Johnson officiating. Private inurnment will be in Roland Cemetery at a later date.
Family visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Reece Funeral Home.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church or to the Ottumwa Tennis Club, PO Box 533 Ottumwa, IA 52501.
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