Published by Waldo Funeral Home
Sherman, Tex.
Stanley Paul Alford, M.D. passed into the loving arms of his Savior on December 9, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. Stanley was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on March 27, 1937. He was the third son of Mildred and John Alford who inspired one son to obtain a PhD and two sons to become physicians.
Stan, as he was known to all of his friends,
graduated from Naperville, Illinois High School in 1955, where he was an
All-Conference basketball player and a Regional high-jumping champion. He
continued to maintain his ties with high school classmates for the rest of
his life.
He attended Cornell College on a basketball scholarship and later was a student at Florida State University on a track scholarship. As Stan would say, at FSU, he was in the "best fraternity," Sigma Chi, and "passed every course he took!" He mastered the Florida State Seminole "chop" and remained a fan for life. Following graduation from college, he attended the University of Illinois Medical School, graduating after four years with an M.D. degree and continuing in an additional year of internship. He then served his country as a Captain in the United States Air Force medical corps. Following his military service, Stan completed a three year radiology residency in Detroit, Michigan, under the tutelage of the renowned Dr. Eyler, editor of the main Journal of Radiology.
In 1960, Stan married his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Shultz, whom he described as "a wonderful companion and his greatest fan." They enjoyed forty years of a warm and loving marriage. Together, they reared three outstanding sons: Bruce, Roger and Daniel. He considered his family his greatest treasure and the source of his greatest pleasure. Despite being a busy physician, Stan always found time for and enjoyed coaching his sons in their little league sports. He had a basic philosophy that "children are necessary and wonderful for a complete life." Their beloved wife and mother, Liz, died in 2000, following a lengthy illness with cancer.
Dr. Alford had a radiology practice in Sherman, Texas, for thirty years. He was board certified by the American College of Radiology, and was a member of the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association and Grayson County Medical Society. Stan did not understand the recent "spin" against successful people which would have one believe "it was the government, not Stan, that achieved all of these accomplishments." Stan would wryly comment that he could not remember any government employees going to school for him, studying for him, or passing hundreds of tests for him to become a doctor and a radiologist!
In 2002, Stan and Karen Butler Hibbitt were married. They enjoyed a wonderful marriage for over ten years in which they not only "found love again," but embraced each other's families and shared each other's friends. Stan had a simple, but profound, idea of marriage: "Enjoy the other person and give your best back to them." He and Karen were able to enjoy each other to the fullest and considered it a great blessing to have found each other. He had a great appreciation of his friends, saying, "Friendship is the highlight of everyday life." He and Karen blended their friends in their two communities, Sherman and Denison, and relished life, playing golf and tennis and traveling. Stan would not hesitate to mention, always with twinkling eyes, that he was "beyond excellent" in golf and tennis! He loved cruising and traveling abroad and remembered being in "over three countries and one or two islands." His understated humor was part of his great charm. He entertained his companions continually at Woodlawn Country Club, Tanglewood Country Club, and the Denison Country Club. He loved having Karen at his side on the golf course and mustered the strength to ride with her to chip and putt until the very last weeks.
Stan also had a serious and thoughtful side and once wrote of the three women who had influenced him the most in life: His mother, Mildred Alford, who taught him the importance of honesty and integrity; his first wife Liz, for her love and support; his wife Karen, who taught him that one could find love and happiness again.
Stan was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman and later a member of Waples United Methodist Church where he especially enjoyed the Fellowship class of which he served as president for a time.
Stan Alford was predeceased by his parents, Mildred and John Alford; his first wife, Elizabeth Shultz Alford; and his brother, John Alford, Jr. He is survived by his loving wife Karen Alford; brother Don Alford, M.D. of Tallahassee, Florida; son Bruce and wife Sally (Travis, Chase and Rachel - grandchildren) of Highland Park, Texas; son Roger and wife Leslie (Mason and Andrew - grandchildren) of South Bend, Indiana; son Daniel and wife Julie (Chesna, Calli and Avery - grandchildren) of Richardson, Texas. In addition, Stan enjoyed his "bonus" daughters: Michele Hibbitt Clark of Houston, Texas and Jana Hibbitt Bockman of Omaha, Nebraska. "Bonus" grandchildren include Garrett Clark, Kaylen Clark, Bruce Bockman and Brent Bockman. Stan also had one "bonus" brother-in-law, James David Butler of Sherman.