Senior Officer Wayne Staggs  Badge 27
(1954-2025)

 

 

Wayne was born May 25, 1954 in Covington, the first of four children born to Jim and Jenny Staggs. He grew up in Northern Kentucky and attended Dixie Heights High School.

While attending school, he worked concurrently at a gas station and the Florence Drive-In, where he met his future wife. They married and moved to Burlington where they have lived since. He then took a position at Cincinnati Milacron.

While at Milacron, he also joined the Boone County Police Department as an Auxiliary Patrolman.

In 1976, Wayne joined the Florence Police Department as a Patrolman. While there, he also served as a Detective and Senior Officer and in assignments including Range Instructor, where he was a distinguished expert marksman. Senior Officer Staggs retired in 2006 with more than 30 years of service to his county and community and possibly as the longest tenured officer ever of the Florence Police Department.

Officer Staggs then added another 19 years of service with the Covington Federal Courthouse.

Officer Staggs died, surrounded by his family, on January 21, 2025 at the age of 70.

Senior Officer Staggs is survived by his wife of almost 53 years, Bonnie “Jean” Staggs; sons, Shawn Staggs and Damian Staggs; stepchildren, Todd (Nanita) Marksberry and Beth (John) Mericle; grandchildren, Amber (Preston) Owens, Darryll Marksberry, Sarah Waters, Joel Mericle, Reagan Mericle, Noah Mericle, Trey Marksberry, Carly (DJ) Roberts, Macy (John) Harzan, and Casey (Taylor) Marksberry; great-grandchildren, Paxton Ownes, Alanna Owens, Elliott Owens, Frankie Todd Roberts, Ridge Roberts, and Howie Roberts; and siblings, Greg Staggs and Eileen Price.

A visitation will be held tomorrow, Sunday, January 26, 2025, from 12 to 2 p.m. at Stith Funeral Home on U.S. Highway 42 in Florence. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025 at Florence Baptist Temple, 1898 Old Florence Pike, in Burlington. Burial will immediately follow at Highland Cemetery, 2167 Dixie Highway in Fort Mitchell.