Blane Stafford

Blane Stafford, 92, of Franklin, Tenn., died Saturday, May 31, 2003, at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

He was born Sept. 19, 1910, in Stoddard County, Mo., son of Thomas and Minnie Allen Stafford.

He and Oma Fletcher were married July 4, 1928, at Bell City, Mo.; she died April 9, 1994. He then married Frances Hart on Nov. 26, 1994, at Jonesboro, Ark. She died May 22, 2001.

Stafford was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter, Mo. He was a former manager for Missouri Utilities and a former resident of Dexter.

Survivors include two sons, Howard Stafford of Sikeston, Mo., and the Rev. Tom Stafford of Jonesboro, Ark.; a daughter, Judith Partain of Franklin, Tenn.; a stepdaughter, Kay Powers of Nixa, Mo.; two brothers, Eldon Stafford of Essex and T.G. Stafford of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Lola Young of St. Louis; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and a stepgrandchild.

He was preceded in death by a son, two brothters and a sister.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Tom Stafford officiating. Burial will be in Dexter Cemetery.