Carl Wallace Stapleton, Sr., age 86, of Winterboro, passed away March 18, 2010. He was born April 17, 1923, in Birmingham. He was the son of Robert Lincoln Stapleton, Sr. and Amy Bourne Turnbull. He attended Edgewood Grammar School, Shades Cahaba High School, Gulf Coast military Academy and Auburn University. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, and served for 3 years in the Pacific (Okinawa, Tinnian, New Caledonia and Iwo Jima) during World War II.
Upon his return from the service, he worked in the family grocery business “Stapleton Fine Foods” in Birmingham, was part owner and operator of the Ranch House Motel, and after retirement worked for Johnson-Rast and Hayes.
During his early years in Birmingham, he won several awards from the Birmingham Music Club following his return from service, and was a tenor soloist with Highlands Methodist Church in Five Points South for well over 55 years. He met and married his wife, Anne Morriss Mason, at Highlands Methodist Church in 1946, where they both were members of the choir. They lived in Indian Springs for 38 years before moving to Winterboro in 2000. He was an avid gardener, a prolific reader of history and the West and loved to travel.
Mr. Stapleton was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Robert L. Stapleton, Jr. and a sister, Charlotte Emily Stapleton.
He is survived by his wife, Anne of almost 64 years and his children, Carl Wallace Stapleton, Jr., Julie Anne Stapleton, Richard Lloyd Stapleton (Jane), Amy Rebecca Stapleton and Robin Mason Stapleton Leaptrott (Joe). He is survived by six grandchildren, Ashley Stapleton Bhatia (Prashant), Emily Stapleton Sasser (Tre), Jennifer Stapleton Cleveland (Tracy), Richard Carl Stapleton, Jesse Joel Leaptrott and Rachel Anne Leaptrott; five great grandchildren, Devan and Dylan Bhatia, Caroline Sasser, Dawson and Carson Cleveland.
A celebration of his life will be held Monday, March 22, 2010, at 11 a.m. at the Winterboro Baptist Church, located at 9953 DeSoto Caverns Parkway, Alpine. Internment in the Winterboro Community Cemetery immediately following the service. The family will receive visitors after the services in the fellowship hall.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Winterboro Community Cemetery Fund in care of Mrs. Don Harville, 2366 Bullocks Ferry Road, Talladega, AL 35160.
Condolences may be left at www.curtisandsonfh.com
Curtis and Son Funeral Home North Chapel will direct the services.