RUTH MARGARET STAFFORD

Forever in my heart and my memories !

Dear Ruth, you are still living in our harts and memories!

Thank you for all, you have enriched our lives!

Mirjana, Isabelle, Gallus, Anna and Vladimir

To Ruth's Family, We the members of First Ward Republican Club express our sincere sympathy to each of you. Ruth served our club at her home and was the most gracious hostess. She gave of her time,talents and treasures making a contribution to all of our outreach programs. We will miss her and we will keep you in our prayers. Thanks for sharing Ruth with us. Joanne M. Collins, President

We were so sorry to hear of Ruth's passing. We met Ruth at the Missouri Yacht Club and spent many Thursday Night dinners at her table. With her engaging personality and wonderful stories of flying, the Lake and the MYC she was a pleasure to be around. She will be missed by all those who knew her. Our sympathies to her family. Joni and Doug Carlson

Ruth and Sheldon visited Novi Sad and gave for Yugoslavian newspapers interview about flying across the Atlantic - world famuous ferry pilots couple!

Ruth Stafford, Mirjana and Ib Nielsen in Esbjerg, Denmark

Ruth we loved every visit with you! You made it always very special. You remembered all my birthdays. I loved playing cards with you and learning to speak english with you. I miss you...Isabelle

Ruth has been a special friend for many years. First at Lake Lotawana, then later in Sunday School Class at Country Club Christian. What an amazing person she was. She certainly enjoyed life and lived it fully. We always loved her flying stories as well as stories of her car racing. She was fearless and accomplished. Esther Atha

Draga naa Ruth
Ostavila si nas u bolu i tuzi da se sjeamo tvojih lepih osobina, tvojih prijateljskih susreta, tvoje humanosti i neustrasivosti.
Secam se tvogprvog susreta u St. Moritzu kad si sa svojim suprugom Sheldonom preletjela
Atlanski okean i neustraiva , Lepa i elegantna stigla da otvori kolu za pilote za prekookeanski let jednomotornim avionima. Ti Ruth,Sheldon i Mirjana bili ste atrakcija. Secam se i tvojih poseta u NoviSad,Srbiju, Sloveniju kao i u Svajcarsku kad si plenila svojom elegancijom, armom i ljubaznou .tvoje estitke, pokloni potsecaju nas na tebe. Jo nedavno poslala si naoj Isabelle poklon za roendan .
Nikada se nisi predavala, bila si veliki borac ali se ipak sve zavrilo tragino .. Poivaj u miru naa draga Ruth! Uvek emo te nositi u svojim srcima ! Vladimir i Ana

Dear Ruth I miss you sooo much!!!!

I remember 1982, UK; you and Sheldon came with your Bonanza to visit Europe. I was so impressed with beautiful, courageous lady to fly over the ocean! I wanted to be close to you and learn as much I could
.and you visited me in Yugoslavia, I stayed at your home and learned so much from you, about flying, about life, about being good person, about being great mother!
We flew together in USA, we flew together over the Atlantic, we did seminars and were teaching other how to do it!
We went through ups and downs life has brought us, with Sheldon and Reggie sickness, with Gallus sickness and Isabelle hospitals and surgeries; but still we met all these years again and again in so many places on the Earth! We talked on the phone oftenI will miss all that
Thank you for more than 33 years of such a special friendship! You were the one that turned my life to a good side, you were the one to help when it was needed, you were the one to have fun and share when life was not going the right way I miss you soo much, but you will live forever in my heart like on this photos!!!
Beautiful, gorgeous lady, great pilot, special person will be for ever in my heart! We love you Ruth!!!


Mirjana with Gallus, Isabelle, Anna, Vladimir, and all the other friends from Europe and Africa:
Kajetan (Slovenia) , Kamilo, Slavica (Croatia), Ingrid ( Germany), Zora (Serbia), Ursula, Philippe, Felicitas, Oliver, Sebastian (Switzerland) Hetti (South Africa) Heidi, Rosi, Ib Nielson ( Denmark), Jane & Robi (Kenia)

Dear Ruth, I miss you sooo much!!!!

I remember 1982, UK; you and Sheldon came with your Bonanza to visit Europe. I was so impressed with beautiful, courageous lady to fly over the ocean! I wanted to be close to you and learn as much I could
.and you visited me in Yugoslavia, I stayed at your home and learned so much from you, about flying, about life, about being good person, about being great mother!
We flew together in USA, we flew together over the Atlantic, we did seminars and were teaching other how to do it!
We went through ups and downs life has brought us, with Sheldon and Reggie sickness, with Gallus sickness and Isabelle hospitals and surgeries; but still we met all these years again and again in so many places on the Earth! We talked on the phone oftenI will miss all that
Thank you for more than 33 years of such a special friendship! You were the one that turned my life to a good side, you were the one to help when it was needed, you were the one to have fun and share when life was not going the right way I miss you soo much, but you will live forever in my heart like on this photos!!!
Beautiful, gorgeous lady, great pilot, special person will be for ever in my heart! We love you Ruth!!!


Mirjana with Gallus, Isabelle, Anna, Vladimir, and all the other friends from Europe and Africa:
Kajetan (Slovenia) , Kamilo, Slavica (Croatia), Ingrid ( Germany), Zora (Serbia), Ursula, Philippe, Felicitas, Oliver, Sebastian (Switzerland) Hetti (South Africa) Heidi, Rosi, Ib Nielson ( Denmark), Jane & Robi (Kenia)

I was honored to have flown with Ruth in the Navy Aero Club in the late 80's/early 90's while working on my private and instrument tickets. What a great lady she was and what adventures she and Sheldon had together through the years! My condolences to you.

We were saddened to hear of Ruth's passing. She was such a fun lady. She gave flight instruction to our daughter and later was always interested in hearing about where she was flying in her career as a pilot. She and Sheldon amazed us with their stories of ferrying planes across the north Atlantic and we enjoyed both of them so much. Our sincere sympathy to all of the family.

I had the pleasure of flying with Ruth when she returned to KC in 2005 after Sheldon passed away. She wanted to rejoin the flying club and re-attain her CFI skills, and she asked me to help her with that. The Kansas City Flying Club (previously known as the Kansas City Navy Flying Club) was blessed to have her and Sheldon as club members in the 1970's and then again 10 years ago. We will miss her.

I was very fortunate to have Ruth as my flight instructor, what a joy. Her and Sheldon, we committed to flying and give me not only, great fundamental instruction, but good common sense ways to enjoy the sport and be safe. I will always look back at those time with her in the cockpit as much more than just a flight instructor.

I am blessed to have met this amazing lady. May God comfort your family and friends. Rest in peace. Elaine Barkley Melchior - Greater Kansas City 99s

Randy and Ronnie,

I don't know if you remember me. I am Frank Lilly's stepson. I am very saddened to learn of the passing of your mother. I always enjoyed Ruth and Sheldon's company immensely at the various soaring activities we attended together. I don't know of anyone who lived a fuller and more interesting life than they did, sharing most of their adventures together.

Sheldon was my first flight instructor. He turned me loose on my first solo flight in an old Schweitzer GT-3A World War II training glider back in 1962 when I was 15 years old. Frank and Sheldon were partners in a Schleicher KA-6 sailplane and I did a lot of ground crewing for them. I think my first attempt to water ski on a slalom ski was at your folks place on Lake Lotawana. You guys were both barefoot skiing at the time which I found pretty impressive since I had trouble just staying up on one ski.

We think of Ruth and Sheldon often, but had lost touch some time ago. While talking with my mother just a few days ago, we were wonder how Ruth was doing. Please accept heartfelt condolences from Larry and Linda Swinney and Mary Jane Lilly.

The first time I flew with Ruth was to my first 99s section meeting in Lexington, KY, a number of years ago. She was a good person, a good friend and very giving and kind. She always had a smile. A gracious lady. I will miss her. She is with Sheldon and Reggie exploring her new horizons. Blue skies, Ruth.
BJ Vanecek, Greater KC 99s