Dr. Eleanor Stafford, 86, died at her residence Monday, March 8, 2004.
Dr. Stafford practiced pediatrics for over 50 years and was still practicing until just a few weeks before her death. Beloved for her humor, playful nature and kindness, Dr. Stafford cared for generations of children from this area.
Dr. Stafford was born in Chicago, Ill., on May 23, 1917, the daughter of Herbert Dewitt and Boyd Lowrey Stafford, and spent her childhood in Kernersville, N.C., where she was a member of the Main Street United Methodist Church.
She graduated from Salem College in 1938. After graduation she worked in the science department at Salem. During World War II she served as a medical technician with the Navy Hospital Corps and worked in a biochemistry lab at North Carolina Baptist Hospital before entering medical school. One of only four women in a class of 60, she graduated in 1950 from the Bowman Grey School of Medicine.
During her internship at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Dr. Stafford met Dr. Minnie R. Vance, and the two began what became a lifelong friendship. After serving as chief resident of pediatrics at the University Hospital in Little Rock, Dr. Stafford joined Dr. Vance in the practice of pediatrics in Chattanooga.
Dr. Stafford was on the staff of Erlanger Hospital and served as chief of staff of T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital 1962-1963. She was a clinical instructor of pediatrics with the University of Tennessee and was voted Teacher of the Year by the residents in that program. She was a member of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County and the Tennessee Medical Societies, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She served on several boards including the Ronald McDonald House and Kids on the Block.
Dr. Stafford received the Salem College Distinguished Alumna Award in 1987 in honor of her professional achievements and service to her community. In 2001, through her generosity, the Eleanor Stafford Scholarship Fund was established at Salem to support students who demonstrate need and/or merit.
As well as being part of a large and loving family in North Carolina, Eleanor Stafford became a cherished member of the Vance family and a beloved godmother to the Vances' children and their families: George and Anne Vance Bright, Marshall and Eleanor Stafford Bright of Lookout Mountain, Ga.; Dr. Dan Vance IV and Dr. Janet Snoddy, Elizabeth, Catherine and Leah Vance of Cleveland, Tn.; Dr. Stephen and Ann Vance of Denver, Colo.; Chris and Kelly Vance and Christopher Stafford Vance Jr. of Wellington, Fla.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 13, at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lookout Mountain.
The family will receive friends at the church from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital Foundation for the establishment of the Eleanor Stafford Residents' Ambulatory Clinic.