Search team volunteer who died on Mt. Baldy honored for wanting to serve others at Celebration of Life ceremony
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A Celebration of Life Ceremony for Tim Staples was held at Abundant Living Church in Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday, Dec. 28, just two weeks after he died while working his volunteer job with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department of saving others.
Staples was a “rarity,” according to the sheriff’s West Valley Search and Rescue Team Commander Tom Henderson, for becoming a member in his 20s. He showed a maturity and a strong desire to help others at a young age, according to Henderson, who spoke at the celebration.
Staples was also a popular Damien High School social sciences, English instructor and track coach at the La Verne school.
Bright orange Search and Rescue uniforms dotted the church. The three speakers held back tears echoing Staples’ humbleness and generosity. Staples’ best friend Timothy Seymour confessed he never told Staples that he strived to be like him. “He always saw the best in people,” Dr. Michael Williams, Damien High instructor and coach, told the audience.
A slideshow of his life was dominated by his recent wedding six months earlier. His wife Katie asked people to please remember Tim.
Staples didn’t take himself seriously, but he took search and rescue seriously, Henderson emphasized.
Staples, 32, a nine-year veteran of the search-and-rescue team, suffered a fatal injury after an apparent fall while searching for missing hiker Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati, 52, of Irvine in the Mt. Baldy area on Saturday, Dec. 14. Afterwards the search was suspended.
Staples was one of 126 people from 10 counties working in 23 teams searching for Mokkapati on Mt. Baldy.