Robert Edward “Bobby” Stafford, Sr., 84, husband of Sara Ellen Marshall Stafford, died Thursday, July 20, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey.

Born June 9, 1933, in Sumter, he was a son of the late George Washington Stafford, Sr. and the late Lula Newman Stafford. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. Mr. Stafford was a lifelong farmer. He, along with his wife, owned and operated Stafford Strawberry Farm and Produce Market. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and fishing. He served Sumter County as a volunteer firefighter and was a founding member of the Sumter County Volunteer Fire Department in 1956. He was very active in his community having served on numerous boards, including the SC Farm Bureau Board of the Directors, and as a representative of the State Young Farmers at the National Convention. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford were both longtime members of the Grange, a fraternal farmer’s organization, having served in numerous capacities on the state and national level. He was instrumental in the founding of the Oswego Rural Water Supply. Mr. Stafford was a very active member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Oswego where he served as Sunday School Superintendent for many years, as well as numerous other positions.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years; a son, Robert E. “Robbie” Stafford, Jr. (Kathy) of Sumter; 3 grandchildren: Robert E. Stafford, III (Sarah) of Lyman; Will McLeod of Columbia; and Gail McLeod (Clint) of Pinewood and 3 great-grandchildren: Evelyn Elizabeth Stafford, Mikayla Leona McLeod and Braxton Alexander Liebsly; and a brother, Billy Stafford (Margie) of PA.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by seven brothers and sisters.

A funeral service will be held at 11 A.M. Monday in the Bethel United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jeremy Howell and the Rev. Mike Henderson officiating. Burial will be in the Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Ira B. Parnell, Jr., Melvin E. Brown, Jr., John M. Brown, Chris Holley, Brian Newman, and Pedro Cooke.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Sumter County Fire Department and Oswego Hunting Club.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 to 11 A.M. Monday in the Bethel United Methodist Church Family Life Center.

Memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, 5575 Lodebar Rd., Sumter, SC 29153.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert Edward "Bobby" Stafford Sr., please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.