Guide to the G. Arista Staley Papers

G. Arista Staley was born in 1894 at Phoenix, Arizona. Her family (or at least she and her mother) moved to Los Angeles, where she was converted at a Christian Endeavor Convention in 1914. In 1915 she graduated from Mackay Business College and in 1918 from the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. She attended the West Adams Presbyterian Church where she was active in Sunday School and Christian Endeavor work. She applied in 1918 to the PCUSA Board of Missions for service in China, but was appointed to the West Africa Mission at Metet, Cameroon. From 1920 to 1932 she taught in the Girls' School and did itinerant work with African women. She also served in 1932 as assistant editor of The Drum Call, the West Africa Mission quarterly.

Beginning in 1932, and continuing until her retirement, Staley was engaged in medical work. She served as a nurse at Central Hospital, Elat, from 1932 to 1933, 1938 to 1939; MacLean Memorial Hospital at Lolodorf, from 1934 to 1935; and as nurse in charge of Schauffler Hospital at Efulan, from 1936 to 1937, 1940 to 1943. She went on an extended furlough, from 1944 to 1945, after which she returned to do medical work at Bafia, from 1945 to 1947; Mkol Mvolan, from 1948 to 1951; and at Foulassi, from 1952 to 1959. In 1959 she retired after forty years of service.