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Obituary:
- Published August 02, 2007 06:30 pm - The Rev. Dawsey Calvin “D.C.” Stafford, 90, died of natural causes on Aug. 2, 2007, at Meadowbrooke Rehabilitation Centre and Suites, Anderson.
Rev. D.C. Stafford
Nov. 20, 1916 — Aug. 2, 2007
The Rev. Dawsey Calvin “D.C.” Stafford, 90, died of natural causes on Aug. 2, 2007, at Meadowbrooke Rehabilitation Centre and Suites, Anderson.
Born Nov. 20, 1916, in Bernie, Mo., to Myrtle L. (Whitby) and John Calvin Stafford, he graduated from Portageville (Missouri) High School in 1936. He played basketball on the team that went to state championship playoffs in 1935. In 1937, he married Orell Elvesta Smith. Soon after marriage, they moved to Paducah, Ky. It was there on the banks of the Ohio River that D.C. felt his call to the Christian ministry. During his early years, he worked as a butcher, a barber, as an appliance salesman and as a furniture store salesman.
In 1940, he assumed his first pastorate of a new congregation of the Church of God in Dexter, Mo. In 1943, he assumed the pastorate of the Church of God in Piggott, Ark. Additional pastorates were of First Church of God in Mount Carmel, Ill., Pinehurst Church of God in Birmingham, Ala.; Northwestern Church of God in Detroit, Mich.; First Church of God in Princeton, Ind.; Walnut Street Church of God in New Castle; and First Church of God in Bristow, Okla. In 1981, he retired while serving in a new church plant in Sandusky, Ohio. He was always active in local interdenominational cooperative efforts, as well as in the district, state and national work of the Church of God. One of his passionate concerns wherever he served was in racial reconciliation. While in Mount Carmel, he was a leader in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
He and Orell had three sons, Gilbert Wayne, Larry Dale and Rodney Kent. Following retirement in 1981, he and his wife moved to Anderson. During retirement, he served congregations in some 20 interim pastorates in Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. In 1989, his wife died, and in 1990, he married Arietta Shock. The two of them continued doing interim pastoral work until 1996, when he accepted the position of visitation pastor at South Meridian Church of God, retiring from that position in 2000 at 84.
Preceding him in death were his first wife, Orell; parents, John and Myrtle Stafford; stepmother, Mable Stafford; and all of his siblings, Madell, James Leroy, Chester Lee, Lester and Lettia (Shoemaker).
Surviving are his wife, Arietta; three sons, Gilbert (Darlene) of Anderson, Larry of Rockville, Md., and Rodney (Donna) of Fairfax, Va.; six grandchildren, Matthew (Christina) Stafford of Richmond, Va., Heather (Corey) Lowery of Indianapolis, Anne (Paul) Stover and Joshua (Charity) Stafford, all of Anderson, Kora (Ted) Findler of Arlington, Va., and Zachary Stafford of Fairfax; great-grandchildren, Miles Stafford Lowery, Dominic Charles Lowery, Emma Belle Findler and Samuel Dawsey Findler. Stepchildren who survive him are Darrell (Ann) Shock of Noblesville, Drew (Jacqueline) Shock of Tipp City, Ohio, and Darlene (Lowell) Wardlow of Flower Mound, Texas. Also surviving are 11 stepgrandchildren; 15 great-stepgrandchildren; and by 17 nieces and nephews.
He will be remembered for his quick humor, his steadfast faith, his intense work ethic, his devoted studiousness and preparation of sermons, his high energy level, and his love of family.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at South Meridian Church of God, 2402 Meridian St., Anderson, with Pastor Tim Foreman officiating. Burial will be in East Maplewood Cemetery, Anderson.
Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Home, Anderson, and one hour before the service Tuesday at the church.
Memorial gifts may be given to the charity or the church of the donor’s choice.
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1916 - 2007 (90 years)
