Father of U.S. alpine team member Staples dies

Dr. Mark Staples, the father of U.S. Ski Team member and reigning Ski Racing Junior of the Year Kiley Staples, died on July 25. The father of five, including 19-year-old Kiley, was 44 years old.
Dr. Mark Staples, the father of U.S. Ski Team member and reigning Ski Racing Junior of the Year Kiley Staples, died on July 25. The father of five, including 19-year-old Kiley, was 44 years old.
    According to an obituary in The Salt Lake Tribune, Staples was born Nov. 22, 1963, in Kaysville, Utah, and attended Davis High School. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from BYU, and he received a medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency on anesthesia at the University of Utah.
    Staples’ immediate family includes his wife, Dona, and children Kiley, Sydney, Maxwell Mark, Courtney and Piper.
    “Mark showed incredible dedication and commitment toward his family in the sport of ski racing,” said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. “He was often on the hill or in the finish demonstrating his support. Through his efforts he was instrumental in helping Kiley [current national C Team member] reach her goals in the sport. We will all miss seeing Mark on the hill, knowing the positive impact he has had on his family and the greater ski racing community.”
    Funeral services will be held Friday, Aug. 1, at noon at the LDS Stake Center, 2330 Monitor Dr. in Park City. Viewing for friends will be held Thursday evening from 7-8:30 p.m. at the LDS Stake Center in Park City, and again from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Friday.