William J. Stafford, Jr., formerly of Wilhelm Rd., Hermitage, passed away under hospice care at 5:05 a.m. Tuesday (2-14-17) in the Good Shepherd Hospice House, Auburndale, FL. He was 87.

Mr. Stafford was born March 29, 1929, in Sharon, a son of William J. Stafford, Sr. and Edith Alltop Stafford.

He was a graduate of Sharon High School and served with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War from 1950 to 1954.

Bill attended Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, and received his bachelor's degree in education from Youngstown State University.

He retired from the Sharon City School District where he was an Economics teacher in the high school for many years.

Bill enjoyed traveling and taking vacations with his family; and was a fan of the Cleveland Browns and Indians.

His wife, the former Marie "Midge" Stifter, whom he married in January of 1961, passed away March 11, 1992.

Surviving is a daughter, Lynne Boyett and her husband Robert, Polk City, FL; a step-son, Paul Gatzy and his wife Barbara, Edgewater, FL; a brother, James Stafford and his wife Shirley, Sharpsville; a sister, Betty Schuster, Wheatland; a brother-in-law, James Butala, also Wheatland; and several nieces and nephews.

Besides his wife, Bill was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Edith Butala.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday (2-20-17) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday (2-21-17) in the funeral home with military honors to follow. Interment: St. Mary's Cemetery, Hermitage.