Letha Stafford

It is with a sad heart that we announce the passing of our mom and grandmother, Letha Ethlyn Clark Stafford on May 9, 2024. Letha was born January 10, 1920 in the town of Essex, NY (Brookfield area), the first daughter of Loreen Clark and Fannie (Talbot) Clark.

She grew up during the depression and saw our country progress from the horse and buggy to spacecrafts landing on the moon. She lived under 19 US presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Joe Biden. Letha attended the one room school in Brookfield and graduated from the Essex High School in June 1939.

On August 12, 1939, she married Herbert (Si) Stafford, the son of Cheney and Nettie (Sibley) Stafford. Together they enjoyed 66 years together and had three daughters, Juanita Napper, Alta LaPine, and Marleen Webster. In 1948, Letha and Si moved to Wadhams where she was active in the Wadhams United Church of Christ, the Ladies Aid Society, and the Wadhams Riverside Cemetery. When she moved to Westport, she became active in the Westport Federated Church and the Westport Federated Women. Letha was also a member of the Champlain Chapter of the DAR.

Letha was a homemaker, accomplished seamstress, making sure her daughters always had special dresses for holidays, their proms, and their weddings. She was also a terrific cook. For many years she worked taking care of other peoples' homes. Nothing made her feel more satisfied than to see a home sparkling clean. If there was a problem, she faced it head-on and didn't give up until it was resolved, and if she didn't accomplish something that day, in her eyes the day was completely wasted. Letha and Si loved to dance. They were members of the Mountain Dewers Square Dance Club where they made many lifelong friends. They loved to dance to the music of the Country Trio and would travel to Keeseville or Plattsburgh with their friends to enjoy their music.

Letha's favorite time was holidays or days when the whole family was together, including grandchildren, great-grands; great-great grands; and nieces and nephews and cousins.

Letha was predeceased by her husband in 2005, daughter Juanita Napper, parents Loreen and Fannie Clark, and sister Marion Clark; brothers-in-law and spouses Leamon (Thelma) Stafford, Nathan (Leola) Stafford; sisters-in-law and spouses Verona (George) Smith, Sadie (Ken) Reynolds, Mary (John) West, and Alva (Ken) Channel.

She is survived by daughters Alta (Ernie) LaPine, Marleen (Bill) Webster; son-in-law Wayne Napper; grandchildren Patty (Larry) Bashaw, Leslie (Christopher) Fleury, John Michael (Julie) Napper, Jim (Christine) Napper; great-grandchildren Susan (Bryse) Taylor, Karleena (Dalton) Moss, Sienna Fleury, Amanda Napper, Kristy (David) Quaglietta, Jesse (Brianna Sargent) Napper, and Evan Napper; great-great grandchildren Emma Dimock, Kaiden Taylor, Declan Taylor, Jaxon Napper, and Isabelle Quaglietta; step-great grandchildren Tanya (Jessica) Bashaw, Margo Sawitski, Heather Spear; and twelve step-great-great grandchildren; and many very special nieces, nephews, and friends.

A very special thank you to all the staff members at Elderwood at Ticonderoga for their many hours of loving care.

There will be calling hours at the Westport Federated Church on Saturday, May 25, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with a memorial service to follow at 11:00. Burial at the Wadhams Riverside Cemetery will immediately follow the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, we suggest donations be made to the charity of your choice, or the Wadhams Fire Department, P.O. Box 157, C/O C.G. Stevens, Westport, NY 12993; or the Westport Federated Church, P.O. Box 375, Westport, NY 12993.

Services were entrusted to Heidrick Funeral Home, Elizabethtown, NY.