After a long and very active life, our beloved matriarch and friend, Audrey Ann Stafford passed away peacefully on March 2, 2024, at 101 years old.
Born on August 4, 1922 to Agnes (Schroeder) and Clarence Korman, Audrey was raised in Waldorf, MN. After graduating from Waldorf High School and Teacher’s College, Audrey taught in rural one room schoolhouses until her marriage to Richard W. “Pete” Stafford on April 5, 1945 at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in New Richland, MN. When Pete decided on a career in the Army, Audrey spent the next 12 years moving around the US with a tour in Japan.
After Pete’s early death in 1958, Audrey with her five young children returned to New Richland where she taught 3rd grade for many years. Upon retirement, Audrey continued to live in NR while spending the winters in Mesa, AZ. In 2017, Audrey left NR and spent the next few years living with her daughter Pat in Alabama and her daughter Susie in Phoenix. She returned to Minnesota in 2022 to live at Colony Court in Waseca. After celebrating her 100th birthday at St Peters in NR, she returned to live with Susie in Phoenix.
Audrey is remembered as a dedicated teacher leaving her mark on hundreds of students. People who knew her would use “Chocolate”, “inner strength”, “integrity”, “intelligent”, “trustworthy”, “honorable”, “steadfast” if asked to describe her. Audrey loved to play cards; she will be remembered for her ability to take a hand of poor cards and still win the game.
Left to cherish Audrey’s life here on earth are her daughters, Pat Page, Susie (Jeff) Getskow; her son, Steve (Jean) Stafford of Onamia, MN; grandchildren, Barry DeBlieck , David (Jeffrey Bleam) DeBlieck, Michelle (Dean) Anderson, Jonathan (Amy) Page, Jennifer (Jeremy) Boling, Joshua (Erin) Getskow, Andrew (Sarah) Getskow, Melissa (Jon) Dion; great grandchildren, William DeBlieck, Audrey Boling, Alex Boling, Hazel Getskow, Cooper Dion, Charlotte Getskow, Benjamin Getskow, and Cole Dion; sisters, Edna Wenzel and Barb Beyers.
In addition to her husband and parents, Audrey was preceded in death by her daughter, Judy (Dale) DeBlieck; her son, Richard (Rick) Stafford; brothers, Lowel Korman, Dale Korman, Luverne Korman, Jerry Korman, Harlan Korman; sisters, Evelyn Holtz and Marian Wenzel.
A funeral service to honor Audrey will be held on March 12, 2024, at 9:30 am at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New Richland, MN, with a visitation one hour prior at the church. Pastor Scott Williams will be officiating. The internment will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Bloomington, MN.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Audrey’s memory to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church 201 2nd St NW, New Richland, MN 56072 .