Stephen Lamar Stanfield

Stephen “Steve” Lamar Stanfield, 77, passed away on December 24, 2024, in Auburn, Alabama. Born on February 19, 1947, in Marietta, Ohio, Steve was the son of the late Robert Clifford Stanfield and Catherine Wacker Stanfield. Steve’s father was a construction manager and because of his job, the family moved to many different states before settling in Chamblee, Georgia when Steve was in the eighth grade.

Steve graduated from Chamblee High School in 1965. That fall, he enrolled in Auburn University where he was a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity and a member of the Army ROTC program. He graduated from Auburn in June of 1969 with a degree in business administration. On the afternoon of graduation, Steve was commissioned into the United States Army as a second lieutenant. In December of 1969, Steve married Jeannie Garrett and embarked on a military career that spanned over two decades. A few of the many jobs he held in the Army were helicopter pilot, tank commander, ROTC instructor at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia, and a member of the Army Training Board. While serving in the Army, Steve earned two masters degrees, one from Texas A&M University and one from Georgia Southwestern State University. He retired from the United States Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in May of 1990.

After retirement from the Army, Steve worked for Computer Sciences Corporation in Hampton, Virginia before settling in Americus, Georgia in 1993. In Americus, he was integral in starting an ROTC program in both Americus High School and Sumter County High School. Steve joined the Americus Rotary Club in 1993 and served in many capacities including President of his home club up to and including District Governor of District 6900. A few of his Rotary accomplishments include District Polio Plus Chair, Second Tier Major Donor in Rotary International, and Chair of the District Disaster Relief Program. He was awarded the 2011 “Service Above Self” Award that is bestowed on only 170 individuals worldwide each year, and was instrumental in creating the Sheffield Leadership Awards. Steve was an active member of First Methodist Church of Americus where he and others helped establish what is now, the Sheffield-Wootten Sunday School Class. He also served as Chairman of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Development Fund, Inc. Additional community service projects where he served include Books for Sumter Children and Harvest of Hope Food Pantry. Steve also had several hobbies including painting, golf, fly fishing, hunting and traveling the world. In 2021, Steve retired from the DGR Group in Americus where he had been a financial advisor, and moved to Auburn, Alabama where he continued his Rotary service by joining the Auburn Rotary Club.

Survivors include his loving wife of 55 years, Jeannie Garrett Stanfield; his son Robert Clifford “Cliff” Stanfield (Beth) of Saint Simons, Island, Georgia; his daughter, Susanne Lee Stanfield of Sandy Springs, Georgia; and his grandchildren - Ford Stanfield, Ellie Stanfield, Marshall Stanfield and Garrett Volk. He is also survived by his brothers Robert “Bob” Stanfield (Penny) of Dunwoody, Georgia, and James “Jim” Stanfield (Denise) of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at First Methodist Church of Americus with Reverend Daryl Brown officiating. After the service, the family will receive friends in the memorial hall of the church until 12:30 at which time the family and out of town guests will be served a light lunch in the church social hall. Steve’s interment ceremony with full military honors at Andersonville National Cemetery will begin promptly at 2:00 PM. 

A second memorial service will be held in Auburn, Alabama, on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Auburn First United Methodist Church (137 S Gay St, Auburn, AL 36830) beginning at 2:00PM. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Andersonville Trust (P.O. Box 113, Andersonville, GA 31711) or Roosevelt Warm Springs Development Fund (P.O. Box 1050, Warm Springs, GA 31830).

May Steve’s memory bring comfort to all who knew him and inspire others to live a life of service.

To sign our online guestbook and express your condolences to the family, please visit www.hancockfuneralhomeinc.com

Hancock Funeral Home, 427 S. Lee St., is honored to be entrusted with these arrangements for Mr. Stephen Lamar Stanfield.