Buford ‘Bud’ Stamper

Buford “Bud” Stamper, 88, died at 9:45 a.m. Thursday, March 1, 2013, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center.

He was born June 20, 1924, in Smoky Valley, Ky., the son of the late Charlie and Goldie Stamper. On February 16, 1946, he married Louise G. (Vandervliet) Stamper, who also preceded him in death.

Mr. Stamper was a 1941 graduate of Manchester (Ohio) High School and a graduate of Miami University in Oxford. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a gunner’s mate for the United States Merchant Marine vessels.

Bud was a Prudential Insurance agent for 34 years. He was an avid fisherman and swimmer and was the recipient of a kidney transplant in 1996. Mr. Stamper was a member of First United Methodist Church and American Legion Post 178, both of Van Wert.

Survivors include three daughters, Barbara Stamper of Tampa, Fla., Pamela (Ronald) Bachman of Powell and Sandra (Todd) Heck of Whitehouse; one son-in-law, Bill Pollock of Van Wert; two siblings, Jean Stewart of Cincinnati and Adrian Stamper of Alta Loma, Calif.; five grandchildren, Brian Stamper of Tampa, Fla., Chad (Augusta) Pollock of Van Wert, Bradley (Jennifer) Bachman of Westerville, Abigail Bachman of Hilliard, and Grant Fiock of Whitehouse; two stepgrandchildren, Katherine and Elizabeth Heck of Springfield; and three great-grandchildren, Greyson, Keira and Ashlyn Pollock of Van Wert.

A daughter, Carol Ann Pollock; a brother, Curtis Stamper; and two granddaughters, Cammie and Carrie Pollock, also preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday, March 4, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory in Van Wert. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert, with graveside military rites performed by the combined honor units of Legion Post 178 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803, both of Van Wert.

Calling hours are from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials: Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center, c/o Community Health Professionals, 1159 Westwood Drive, Van Wert, OH 45891.

Online condolences may be sent to www.alspachgearhart.com.