Another loss in the Guilford College Sports Community as former youth baseball coach “Steadfast” Ralph Stafford has passed away

This man would shock you back in the day with all of his ability and determination to help kids, as a baseball coach, in the Guilford College community…

He did it all, the training, teaching and coaching of those kids playing baseball for the Guilford College Tigers back in the day…

The coach always had that gleam in his eye, a look of confidence and excitement and you could tell he loved what he was doing, when he was coaching those kids like Joey Turner, Brad Spencer and Stan Stafford, on the Guilford College Tigers baseball team….

We need more me like him and the most interesting thing about this coach was, he was coaching baseball, but he only had one leg…He had lost his leg due to amputation, but he didn’t let that fact stop him….

In times like these, where many who want to hit the sports scene end up giving up if they have a bad day, well this man, he carried on with just one leg, and he made every day a good day…..

Ralph Stafford….The man had that encouraging gleam in his eye and he coached baseball and he played golf and he did it all, while having just one let…

“Steadfast Stafford”…

Mr. Ralph Stafford, and you didn’t have to play for his team to be encouraged by him….Just hearing him talk with encouragement and uplifting teaching, that helped make his players better, that was enough….

You had heroes when you were coming up/growing up and there were always people that we looked up to, and Ralph Stafford was one of those men/people that we looked up to…

Ralph Stafford did more with one leg, than most people would do if they had four legs…

“Steadfast Stafford”…

Stafford fought like a dog and he became a success in a world where if something was missing, most others would give up…But, not Ralph Stafford….He would not give up when dealt with the card that left with just one leg…

Ralph Stafford set out and went to work and he did MORE…

“Steadfast Stafford”…

Mr. Stafford and his wife raised five children. There was Stan, Ron, June, Kelly and Lynn Stafford….And they all carried with them that same gleam that came for their dad’s eye…The gleam and look of, “You Can Do It”, and when you reach a certain level, the ‘Ralph Stafford Theory’ would be, “You Can Do More”…..

Ralph Stafford did more and that is why when he left us this week at the age of 85, you really could say, with all the work Ralph Stafford did, his job was DONE….

“Steadfast Stafford”…

There have been some BIG losses from the Guilford College sports community this past year, with the death/loss of Doug Henderson, Eddie Waynick, Pete Eller, Herb Appenzeller and others over the past 12 months, and now you can now add Ralph Stafford to that list…

A man who would stand on his crutches and coach baseball on just one leg, a man who had the ability to encourage others, and help make them better and stronger individuals…

“Steadfast Stafford”…

Ralph Stafford was that man and on this snowy Monday, we say RIP for Ralph Stafford and we wish better days ahead, for those(family and friends), that are left behind mourning his passing…

Ralph Edward Stafford should be in the “Guilford College Sports Community Hall of Fame”……

“Steadfast Stafford”…
(Standing strong and standing steadfast, in the Guilford College Sports Community.)

from the Greensboro News and Record obituary on-line:
GREENSBORO RALPH EDWARD STAFFORD, 85, PASSED away peacefully December 7, 2018 with his family by his side. Ralph was born December 21, 1932 in Forsyth County to the late William B. Stafford and Miranda Hendrix Stafford. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Hazel Tucker Stafford of 60 years; brother, Howard Stafford; sisters, Jessie Stafford, Lucille Hedgecock, Nellie Clodfelter, Doris Stanley and Viola Pitts. Ralph worked for the Internal Revenue Service for 33 years. After retiring, he served as governor at the New Garden Moose Lodge for several years.

CLICK HERE to read the full obituary from the News and Record and see the photo, which proves Ralph Stafford still had that gleam in his eye…..