William Don "Bill" Stacy

William ("Bill") Don Stacy (70) passed away on Friday, October 31 in Marietta, Ohio.

Bill was born on December 14, 1954 to Ralph and Mary Joan (Green) Stacy, who preceded him in death, in Marietta.

Bill's childhood years were spent on the family farm in Oak Grove with the generations before him. After graduating from Marietta High School, Bill's love of farming and agriculture took him to the Agricultural Technical Institute ("ATI") of the Ohio State University in Wooster, Ohio. He graduated from ATI in 1976 and immediately returned home to continue on the family legacy as the 4 th generation on the family farm.

It was there that he met the love of his life, Janet (Smith) Stacy, who he married on January 24, 1982, after proposing in the pepper patch. They honeymooned at the Michigan Fruit and Vegetable Growers annual meeting. Bill and Janet then welcomed their three children – Amanda, William ("Todd") and Tyler. Through turbulent economic times, Bill persevered by continuing his education at Washington State Community College while working full time, farming full time and providing for his young family.

As a family of five, they started a new "little" project that Bill said he was committed to "for at least five years" – strawberries.

Once strawberry production started at the Oak Grove farm, Bill became known as "Farmer Stacy" by family, friends, customers and the thousands of elementary school aged-children he welcomed to the farm for field trips each year. Farmer Stacy loved sharing his knowledge and passion for agriculture and helping the younger generations learn where their food really comes from. That "little project" resulted in the farm expanding, adding a second location in Reno, which continues in operation with the 4 th, 5 th and 6 th generation of Stacys now leading the way.

Bill's timing was always impeccable whether that was knowing what and when to plant, when it was going to rain, when to collide with a train or when to buy a raffle ticket for a new truck.

Bill became a pillar in the agricultural community, accepting awards with his family such as the Ohio Department of Agriculture Century Farm Award, the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Award, the North Carolina Strawberry Growers Featured Farm, and actively participated in the Agribusiness, Planning & Analysis (25+ years), North Carolina Strawberry Growers Association, Virginia Strawberry Association, the Ohio Farm Bureau, and National Federation of Independent Businesses.

The farming operation that Bill was crucial in building is oftentimes, featured in publications such as Farm & Dairy, the Ohio Country Journal, and Our Ohio.

When his time wasn't spent on the farm, he enjoyed going to farm shows, auctions, truck and tractor pulls and Ohio State basketball games. He also recently gained a renewed love of concerts and was looking forward to his youngest son's wedding next spring.

He will be deeply missed by his wife Janet, children Amanda (Marcus), Todd (Aimee) and Tyler (Abby), and his four adoring granddaughters – Mackenzie (9), Hannah (7), Mollie (4) and Harper (3), along with many other friends, family, and customers who became friends throughout his life.

In lieu of flowers, Bill would like nothing more than your continued support of the Stacy Family Farm legacy and watching the next generations succeed.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday (Nov. 6) at 1:00pm at the First Congregational Church with burial following in Valley Cemetery. Family will greet friends at McClure Schafer Lankford Funeral Home on Wednesday evening from 4:00 until 7:00 and at the church on Thursday from 11:00 until 1:00. Messages of sympathy may be sent at www.Lankfordfh.com.