Estalene Stafford

Estalene Stafford, 92, of Goshen, died early Saturday morning, March 1, 2008, at The Maples at Waterford Crossing. She was born in Shenandoah, Iowa, on June 9, 1915, to Porter R. and Harriet Ethel (Jarman) Spears.  She married Clyde D. Stafford on September 27, 1947, in Oak Park, Illinois.  He died February 4, 1972. She graduated in 1932 from Shenandoah High School, attended Tarkio College in Missouri and received her nursing degree from Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago. Mrs. Stafford served with the Army Nurse Corp during World War II in Australia and New Guinea.  She was honorably discharged as First Lieutenant.  She also worked at Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago, Goshen General Hospital and Elkhart General Hospital.  She volunteered at Goshen General Hospital, First Presbyterian Church, American Red Cross and Elkhart County Health Department.  She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Goshen. She is survived by a son, John R. (Linda) Stafford of Fort Wayne; two grandchildren, Paul Roach of Arcata, California and Marissa Stafford of Madison, Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde; and two brothers, Raymond Spears in 1922 and Dale P. Spears in 2005. Friends will be received 12 to 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 4 at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home. A 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, 2008, funeral service will be held at the funeral home.  Pastor Alan Griffin of the First Presbyterian Church, Goshen, will officite. Burial will be in Violett Cemetery, Goshen. Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Goshen.