WINCHESTER, Va., — The life and service of former West Virginia Third District Congressman Mick Staton will be remembered in a memorial service set for Monday afternoon in Winchester, Virginia. The 74-year-old Staton died last week.
“Certainly anyone who was elected 30 years ago as a Republican in West Virginia showed a lot of tenacity, a lot of strength and was a trailblazer for our movement and set the stage for the successes we are having right now,” West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas said.
Staton, a Parkersburg native, lived in South Charleston when he defeated John Hutchinson in the 1980 election for what was then West Virginia’s Third District seat. Hutchinson had beaten Staton in a special election earlier that year to fill the seat in the interim following the death of 11-term congressman John Slack. Staton served just one term. He lost to Democrat Bob Wise in 1982.
“Mick certainly set the stage for ultimate Republican successes and went on always to be a dedicated member of the party,” Lucas said. “He may have lost his congressional seat but he still stayed very active in the internal aspects of the party.”
Lucas said he was pleased Staton attended a GOP meeting earlier this year where he was given emeritus status.
“I was happy he could make the ceremony so we could honor his service, his long service, and very dedicated service to the Republican Party and people of West Virginia,” he said.
The memorial service is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. at Braddock Street United Methodist Church in Winchester, Virginia.