Obituary of Harold Stafford

STAFFORD-the death of J. Harold Stafford of 165 Loch Lomond Rd., husband of Lillian T. 'Honey' (Mackin) Stafford, occurred at the Saint John Regional Hospital on Saturday, April 23, 2005. Mr. Stafford was born in Saint John, a son of the late Frederick and Catherine (Connell) Stafford. A veteran of the Second World War, he served with the Royal Canadian Engineers in Canada and overseas and was wounded in action in 1944. He returned to Canada on an instructional tour of duty at the Engineering School, Chilliwack, B.C. He was certified in bricklaying, stone masonry and plastering and was a member of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local 1, New Brunswick for over 50 years. Active in the Trade Union Movement, he held offices in his own union, the Saint John District Labour Council, and the Saint John Building and Construction Trades Council. He joined the staff of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada in 1952 and continued as a General Representative after the formation of the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956. In 1957 he was assigned responsibility by the C.L.C. for trade union education in the Atlantic Region and in 1964 was appointed Regional Director. Long active in Adult Education, he was involved in the formation of Labour-University Education Committees within the region to take advantage of university extension services and foster a program of improved industrial relations. He helped to establish the Atlantic Region Labour Education Centre at St. Francis Xavier University. He was a member of the survey team that recommended the formation of the C.L.C. Labour Education and Studies Centre. He attended several Catholic Social Life Conferences and was chairman of the Regional Conference held at St. Thomas University in 1966. Always active in the affairs of his church, Harold was an Honourary Life Member of Saint john Council 937 Knights of Columbus and had participated in a number of their operettas. He spent several years teaching religious education class of high school students at Stella Maris Church and was a Lector and Cantor. He was a member of the first Parish Council at Stella Maris and was a representative to the Regional Council. He became chairman of the Regional Council and later attended a National Conference on the Laity in Ottawa. He served as a member of the Board of Referees, Unemployment Insurance for a period of 43 years, a Director of the Market Square Corporation, Rocmaura Inc., and the Saint John Diocese Priests' Pension Committee. He served as a member of the Provincial Advisory Committee on Vocational Education and was a founding member of the Board of Governors N.B. community College. He was a member of the Saint John Library and Regional Library Board from 1952 to 1977 and a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Saint John General and Regional Hospital from 1962 to 1987 with a term as President on each Board. He was a founding Director of United Way of Saint John, Centracare Saint John Inc., and the Saint John School of Nursing. He served as a member of the Board of Governors Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, Dalhousie and St. Thomas Universities, and N.B. Extra-Mural Hospital. He was a member of the Saint John human Development council, the Saint John Advisory Committee on Economic Planning, the Saint John Port and Development Committee, and a lay member of the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick. He served on the Board of Directors, New Brunswick Research and Productivity Council, the Canada Summer Games, and the Atlantic Region Management Training Centre. The City of Saint John conferred the Freedom of the City on Mr. Stafford in 1989 and he was the recipient of the N.B. Hospital Association 1990 Chaiker Abbis Award recognizing his dedication and commitment of 25 years of voluntary service to improve health care in the province. He was pre-deceased by a brother, Bro. Frederick J. Stafford, O.M.I; and two sisters, Helen and Margaret Stafford. He was a beloed uncle to several nieces and nephews, and is also survived by several cousins. Resting at Fitzpatrick's Funeral Home, 100 Waterloo St., with visiting on Sunday and Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joachim's Church on Tuesday morning at eleven o'clock. Interment will take place in St. Joseph's Cemetery.