Ruben Stapleford

Ruben E. Stapleford ORIENTAL - Ruben Earl Stapleford, 82, born June 25, 1926, in Oriental, passed away Oct. 4, 2008, in Norfolk. He is survived by his sister, Golda Stapleford Bell and extended family members throughout the mid-Atlantic region. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Hazel Stapleford and Vera Brown Stapleford and his siblings, Kemp Francis Stapleford, Elizabeth Stapleford Mann, Hazel Calvine Stapleford Jones and Vera Geraldine Stapleford Kijewski. Ruben was raised in Oriental, served in the U.S. Air Force from 1944 to 1968 and was a veteran of World War II and the Vietnam War. Upon retiring from the Air Force, he entered the U.S. Merchant Marines and continued to serve his county. He was a devout man who lived a simple life. He loved his family, church, music, reading, birds and sailing the seas. While his roots and love for his Oriental home were forever in his heart, Ruben lived in Norfolk, with family and friends who shared his love of life. The Rev. Paul Grubbs, Pastor of the Oriental Free Will Baptist Church, will preside over a graveside service in the Oriental Cemetery to be held at 11 a.m. Saturday. A celebration of life luncheon will follow in the church's fellowship hall from noon until 3 p.m. for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Oriental Free Will Baptist Church, 115 Ragan Road, P.O. Box 298, Oriental, NC 28571 or the American Diabetes Association, 434 Fayetteville Street Mall, Two Hannover Square, Suite 1650, Raleigh, NC 27601.