Remembering Betty Staley, Part II

By Pamela J. Fenner

I first met Betty Staley more than 35 years ago in the late 1980s when she gave a presentation on Waldorf (Steiner) Education in San Rafael. I was a parent at the Marin Waldorf School and had enrolled my youngest daughter in the 2nd grade the year before. This was a big change for my family. I was a former public school science teacher, and my daughters had all attended the local public schools.

Betty was an inspiring speaker and engaged the large audience with her description of the curriculum, its traditions, and how it supported children’s development—intellectual, social, emotional, and even physical. She captivated us with stories from the classroom. I particularly remember how supportive Betty was in telling parents that all was “not lost” if their child hadn’t or couldn’t attend such a school and generously offered many helpful suggestions about what they could do in their home life. She was a highly respected teacher and speaker for decades.

The previous warm tribute to Betty was written by Anne Jacopetti who became a class teacher at my daughter’s school. I won’t duplicate what she has written about our friend and colleague, except to say Betty was a mentor to me, too, and key to changing my life in a new direction in my late 40s. In 1990, I entered a three-year Waldorf teacher training program in San Francisco. While I never took on a class of my own, I worked at two Waldorf schools in community development and enrollment, and then as an independent publisher.

I joined the Marin Small Publishers Association (a precursor to BAIPA) when I realized I needed to publish a book about this education based on the parent handbook I had developed for the school.  Betty was one of the first Waldorf teachers who supported my initiative and submitted an article for my anthology Waldorf Education: A Family Guide. This led to my publishing an early parenting book and two annotated reading lists for elementary and high school.

I followed Betty’s career, marveled at her energy and her initiative in many directions, not just in Waldorf education but in biography work. She ventured into exploring how public schools could learn from and adapt some of its curriculum and approach. Undaunted by the Covid-19 Pandemic, she developed a series of Zoom presentations to schools and teacher training institutes. When I began to develop the 2nd edition of A Family Guide in 2020, she agreed to write two more articles. I suggested one letter to me could be adapted into the introduction for a book she was writing for parents in China.

Betty and I had also begun discussions about her books through other publishers in the US and in England. I was excited for her when she was able to obtain the rights back to republish some of these titles. When she asked advice about a new edition of her book on Africa and a possible publisher who seemed to be “too good to be true” and wildly expensive, I suggested she join BAIPA and discuss her options with “Wonderlady” Ruth Schwartz, BAIPA’s VP. That collaboration resulted in a stunning book and a new direction for Betty with two children’s books.

Last September I took her out for lunch when she returned from Europe and was visiting family and friends in New England. Once more, she impressed me with her stamina, her open attitude for what lay ahead in the future, excitement about new projects, and her zest for life. While I and so many others was stunned to learn she was ill and had days to live, I knew Betty had led a rich, full life and left a legacy for generations to come. I also felt she just might be curious as to whatever dimension or wherever her next journey might lead. I’m so grateful to have known her and benefited from her wisdom, friendship, and spirit.