Richard David Stafford died peacefully at age 83 on January 18, 2022. Richard was born on September 23, 1938 in Bensenville, Illinois to Erna Marie Mess Stafford and Charles Edward Stafford. He was the oldest child with two sisters and a brother. As a senior in high school, Richard scored second highest in the nation on testing, earning a full tuition scholarship to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. He attended Knox for two and a half years until he had taken every math and physics classes they offered.
Richard then attended West Point as an Army candidate. He continued his sports competitions, running the two mile race and pole-vaulting in track and field. He competed at Quantico when Bob Warmeranger won. After his four years in the Army, he completed his BS in Math and Physics at Knox College. He continued his education with a fellowship to Vanderbilt University where he earned a PhD in Theoretical Nuclear Physics on January, 1971.
Richard taught college physics for a year before joining the Vanderbilt scrap metal sorter project and as a result was hired by Steiner and Lift Recycling company in Vanderbilt, Tennessee. During that time he researched, built and patented a machine that separated chrome-plated zinc from shredded cars. Over the next few years he built twenty machines in the United States, Canada and even Japan. Throughout his life, he succeeded at many endeavors, including as a restorer and owner of his wooden boat repair company, a college Physics professor, a software developer for a purchasing department of a large department store chain, a print shop employee, and an economist in public service. He retired in 2002 and spent the time with his wife of over thirty years, Diantha. While together they traveled often and saw Europe, China and other parts of the world on tours and cruises. They renovated their home themselves with a new bathroom and walk in closet and an additional 1200 square feet and second floor apartment, with kitchen and full bath. Richard did all the plumbing, electricity, brickwork, sheetrock, flooring and all else with Diantha's help.
Never forgetting his love of theoretical physics, Richard authored and self-published his thoughts 'The Foundations of Physical Reality" in 2013.
Richard always said his life was an adventure and he lived it with delight, He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Diantha Stafford of Clinton, Mississippi, and his two sisters (Gerry) Geraldine James of Garner, North Carolina, and (Lenny) Glenda Lee Rafferty of Mesa, Arizona.