Dr. Richard Sterling Banfield Jr.

1924 - 2025

Dr. Richard S. Banfield, Jr.
Dr. Richard Sterling Banfield, Jr., 101, of Stamford passed away peacefully on April 25, 2025, at Stamford Hospital. He was the beloved husband of the late Joan Hunt Banfield. He was born in Austin, Minnesota on April 8, 1924, the only child of Richard and Sarah Banfield. After graduating from high school in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 1942, Dick went East to attend Amherst College. He interrupted his college studies to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps, where he reached the rank of Second Lieutenant. When World War II ended, he returned to Amherst, graduating in 1946. He earned an M.D. degree from Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons in 1951. The following year he and Joan were married. After completing a residency in obstetrics & gynecology at Columbia and Yale, he opened a private practice in Stamford in 1957. He continued to serve the women of the Stamford area until his retirement in 1992, capping off his career as Chief of Obstetrics at Stamford Hospital.
Dick was passionate about his career choice and was a pioneer of the de-medicalization of childbirth. He was instrumental in making it possible for Connecticut fathers to be with their wives during delivery. He was an advocate of natural childbirth and breastfeeding. And he believed strongly in integrating midwives into the care of expectant mothers; in fact, he had a midwife join his own practice.
Dick and Joan settled in New Canaan in 1959, where they raised their children. Dick was always a lover of life, and in retirement he pursued a wide range of interests. He was an avid golfer, racquetball player, and bridge player. He and Joan traveled extensively, both abroad and within the United States. In 2014 the couple moved to the Edgehill Community in Stamford. At Edgehill, he tried his hand at acting, playing the role of Andrew Makepeace Ladd III in "Love Letters" several times. And he was a passionate fan of both the UConn "Lady" Huskies and the New York Mets.
Dick loved bringing people together. His family remembers fondly the special three-generation vacations he provided in New Hampshire. And his daily morning emails to a list of more than 200 recipients provided an eagerly anticipated dose of humor, wisdom, and intellectual stimulation that deepened the sense of community among residents of Edgehill.
Dick is survived by his four children, Susan (Alvin) Beck, Dean (Christine) Banfield, Barbara (Rebecca) Banfield, and Carol (James) Foley; his five grandchildren, Nathan (Jasmine) Banfield, Margaret Banfield, William Banfield, Patrick Foley, and Sarah (Damien) Foley; his step-grandson Alvin Beck, Jr.; and his two cherished great-granddaughters, Thelma Banfield and Margot Angel-Foley. The family is deeply grateful to Leota Austin, Dominique Joseph, and Colleen Dawkins for the devoted care they provided for Dick.
Family and friends are invited to gather on Friday, May 2, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., at the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home at 104 Myrtle Avenue in Stamford. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the La Leche League of Connecticut.