Don Lafayette STAFFORD

1922 - 2006  (84 years)

• Name	Don Lafayette STAFFORD
  Born	30 Jul 1922	Taylorsville Twp., Alexander Co., North Carolina
  Gender	Male
  _UID	B6ACFEFB7407E24A93C12472AF3DE2B77121
  Died	30 Oct 2006	Hickory, Catawba Co.., North Carolina
  Buried	St. Lukes United Methodist Church Courtyard, Hickory, Catawba Co., North Carlina
  Person ID	I80461	Branch 025 Alford Monroe Stafford, b. 8 Apr 1787
  Last Modified	24 Sep 2017

  
  

  Father	Perry Franklin STAFFORD,   b. 18 Jan 1889, Alexander Co., North Carolina ,   d. 30 Dec 1951, Taylorsville Twp., Alexander Co., North Carolina  (Age 62 years)
  Mother	Lottie Susan FOX,   b. 17 Jun 1892, North Carolina ,   d. 8 Nov 1961, Hickory, Catawba Co.., North Carolina  (Age 69 years)
  Married	Abt 1910
  Census	1920	Taylorsville Twp., Alexander Co., North Carolina
  Census	1930	Wittenburg Twp., Alexander Co., North Carolina
  Notes	Census: 12 Jan 1920. Listed as Perry Stafford, in farming, with wife Lottie and children Blanch L., Glen W. & Roy F.. 4 Apr 1930. Listed as Perry F. Stafford, a farmer, with wife Lottie S. and children Glen W., Roy F., Susie B., Don L., Foy M., Lindsay J. and unnamed son.
  Family ID	F23363	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Vivienne POTEAT,   b. 27 Nov 1927, Spencer, Rowan Co., North Carolina ,   d. 21 Dec 2006, Hickory, Catawba Co.., North Carolina  (Age 79 years)
  Married	16 Jun 1949
  Children	1. Gary Randolph STAFFORD   2. Perry Edward STAFFORD   3. Don McNerdy STAFFORD   4. Donna STAFFORD
  Last Modified	5 Mar 2022
  Family ID	F26896	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Don Lafayette Stafford, 84, of Hickory, N.C., died October 30, 2006, after a short period of declining health. Stafford was a teacher, professional baseball player, and in sales and management for several paper companies. Born July 30, 1922, and one of 10 children in Taylorsville, N.C., he was the son of the late Perry and Lottie Fox Stafford. He graduated from Hickory High School in 1941, where he had been a 3-sport letterman and was also the first North Carolina Shrine Bowl Football nominee from Hickory High. He joined the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater aboard the aircraft carrier named The USS Wasp from 1942-1945. Stafford was a member of three Hall of Fames. In 1985, he was inducted into the Lenoir-Rhyne College Sports Hall of Fame. In June of 1995, he was inducted into the South Atlantic League Minor League Hall of Fame. In May of 2003, Stafford was selected as a member of the Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame. Survivors include his wife, Vivienne Poteat Stafford, three brothers, Lindsay, Mack and Wade Stafford; and three sisters, Belle Teague, Toy Smith, and Sara Seitz; three sons, Gary Randolph Stafford (wife Frances McDonald Stafford), Perry Edward Stafford (wife Nan Trexler Stafford), and Don McNeely (wife Linda McNeely); and one daughter, Donna Stafford Willen (husband Dr. Steve Willen); and grandchildren, Luke, Beth, Emma, and Ellen Stafford and Eli and Sophie Willen; and Brad McNeely and Celeste McNeely Brinkley; and four great-grandchildren. The visitation will be held on Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Bass-Smith Funeral Home. There will be a memorial service conducted by the Rev. Thomas L. Gibson at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church. Military rites will follow in the church courtyard provided by the American Legion Post 48. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Lottie and Perry Stafford Scholarship Fund, c/o Lenoir Rhyne College, 625 7th Ave., NE, Hickory, N.C. 28601. Bass-Smith Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Stafford family.  Published in the Roanoke Times on 11/1/2006.