James "Ted" Stafford

James “Ted” Theodore Stafford, 77, of Ashland, Kentucky went to be with the Lord, Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Community Hospice Care Center in Ashland, Kentucky. Son of the late Glen and Garnet Sullivan Stafford, Ted was born on October 24, 1945 in Ironton, Ohio. He attended Hoods Creek Regular Baptist Church. Ted was a 1964 graduate of Wurtland High School, and attended Centre College where he ran hurdles on the track team and played football as quarterback and punter. After graduating from Centre in 1968 Ted taught at Wurtland High School and Greenup County High School, owned Big Sandy Trucking Company, was co-owner of Tri-State Speedway, owned Ashland Auto Mart, and eventually retired from AK Steel. He loved hunting and fishing, especially on trips to Canada and Virginia, collecting antiques and arrowheads, and camping on his family farm in Carter County, Kentucky. He raised thoroughbred racehorses with his dad for many years.

He was preceded in death by three brothers-in-law Tim Fraley, Larry Joe Johnson, and Bob Young, and one sister-in-law Connie Young.

He was survived by his loving wife of 57 years, O’Donna Gail Fraley Stafford; two daughters Tamara (Steve) Schuster of Lexington, Kentucky and Tiffany (Todd) Virgin of Ashland, Kentucky; one sister Doretha (Roger) Bellew of Argillite, Kentucky; one brother Tom Stafford formerly of Wurtland, Kentucky; six grandchildren Zach (Heather) Virgin, Kaitlyn Schuster, Kaleb Schuster, Payton (Wade) Reed, Konner Schuster, and Sophia Virgin; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 pm on Tuesday May 2, 2023, at Reed Funeral Home in Greenup, Kentucky by Pastor Leo Ison, Bro. Steve Fraley, Bro. Kevin Fraley, and Bro. Chris Bellew. Burial will be in Fraley Cemetery in Ashland, Kentucky. Visitation will be from 11:00 am until service time on Tuesday. Condolences may be made at www.rlrfuneralhome.com.