Raymond K. Stafford

Raymond Kenneth Stafford, 88, of Lakeview Village, Lenexa, KS, died Sunday March 23, 2014 at his home surrounded by his family. He was born September 7, 1925 in Wichita, KS to George Elwyn Stafford and Arra Cleo Adams, the sixth of seven children. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, four brothers and one grandson.

Raymond attended Thayer High School in Thayer, KS, and after graduation in 1943 joined the United States Navy, serving as a Yeoman Second Class on the USS Rutland in the South Pacific during World War II. On May 14th, 1949 he married Jane Fogleman in Thayer. KS. Raymond and Jane moved to Tulsa, OK where he attended the University of Tulsa and graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. He was a member of the Sword and Key and Phi Gamma Kappa Honor Fraternities. After graduating and starting his career as a CPA, he worked for Coopers & Lybrand accounting firm in Tulsa, OK. He was accepted to the University of Tulsa School of Law in 1955 and received his law degree in 1958. He was a member of the Oklahoma Bar and an Attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Raymond accepted a position with Hess Oil Company in 1960 and moved the family from Oklahoma to Mississippi. A year later he accepted a position with Hess in the New Jersey corporate offices. He later worked in New York City when the corporate offices moved there. After thirty years with the company he retired in 1990 as Senior Vice President of Finance. For the next 10 years he continued to work as the Hess representative on the Marine Preservation Association Board, a collaboration between major oil companies to establish emergency clean up facilities in the major shipping ports of the continental United States. Raymond and Jane lived in New Jersey until 2008 when they moved to Lakeview Village in Lenexa, KS where he was actively involved with Lakeview's Channel 4 and served on the Lakeview Village Foundation Board. Raymond became a charter member of the Lakeview Skydiver's Club in 2012, when he made his inaugural jump at age 87. He was also a 66 year member of the Thayer Masonic Lodge # 149. Throughout his life, both personally and professionally, Raymond was known and admired by everyone for his humility, honesty and integrity. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all.

He is survived by his wife Jane, their four children: Terre Frank of Del Mar, CA; Patricia Oakley (Clyde) of Centennial, CO; Susan Smith (Kelly) of Overland Park, KS; Brad Stafford (Cindy) of Houston, TX; sister Vera Harms of Chanute KS; sister-in-law Inie Rue Stafford; grandchildren: Aaron Oakley, Max Frank, Dylan Oakley (Christine), Rachel Smith Brudnicki (Keith), Gretchen Frank Zajac (Justyn), Tyler Smith, Colin Oakley, Katelyn, Sarah and Allison Stafford; and eight nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends for a visitation at 10:00AM on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 5400 W 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 AM. Interment will be later that day at the Morehead Cemetery in Morehead, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, 1500 Meadow Lake Parkway, Suite 200, KC, MO 64114 or Asbury United Methodist Church, 5400 W 75th St, Prairie Village, KS 66208.