Henry R. Stafford

July: 24, 1915 - Oct. 15, 2001

Henry R. Stafford, 86, of Brick Road in South Bend, Ind., passed away at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 15, in Memorial Hospital.  He was born on July 24, 1915, to the late Walter Ray and Gladys (Beever) Stafford in Lafayette, Ind. He had lived in South Bend most of his life, coming from Logansport, Ind. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Paul Stafford.

On Dec. 7, 1940, he married Marie B. Fuzy in South Bend. She died on Sept. 8, 2001.

Mr. Stafford retired from the former Bendix Corporation in 1980 as a process engineer with the aerospace division after 43 years of service. He held a U.S. patent for indexable control mechanism issued on April 20, 1967.

He is survived by a daughter, Sue (Ron) Heick. of South Bend, formerly of St. Louis, Mo.; a son, Ray (Becky) Stafford of South Bend; four grandchildren, Tiffany Heick of Orlando, Fla., Jennifer Heick of St. Louis, Amy Stafford of South Bend and Casey Stafford of South Bend; a sister, Evelyn Johnson of South Bend; and by a brother, Bernard Stafford of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Mr. Stafford was a member of The Episcopal Cathedral of St. James in South Bend, Bendix Salaried Employees Retirement Club, German Township Lion's Club International, and Toastmasters International. He was a former pilot and Piper Cub airplane owner, based at Stockert's Flying Service, Bendix Field.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. today, Oct. 18, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive, South Bend, with the Rev. Joseph P. Illes officiating. Cremation will follow with burial in Highland Cemetery at a later date. Friends may call from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. today, Oct. 18, in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate, Memorial & Tributes Program

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

04/07/2025 EJS