Richard Norman Stallings passed away peacefully on February 15, 2020 at Tampa General Hospital where he was born on August 18, 1931. He was preceded in death by his father, Otto Mitchell Stallings, mother Elizabeth Sparkman Stallings, his sister Mary Singleton, and brothers Otto Stallings Jr. and Charles Stallings. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Lou Woodall Stallings; his children, Lisa, Liz, Linda (Henrik) and Richard Jr.; and seven grandchildren, Luke (Sarah), Monica, Alexandria, Rick, Genevieve, Trevor, and Daniel. He was a lifelong resident of Tampa and a student at Gorrie Elementary, Wilson Jr High, and H B Plant High School. He attended the University of Florida (Go Gators!) where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He served in the US Army as a member of the Counter Intelligence Corps and was stationed in Germany after the war. He spoke fondly of his time in Germany and enjoyed returning on vacation later in life. He joined his father and brother in the family business, Otto P. Stallings and Son Insurance Agency. After retirement from the insurance business he went to work for H&R Block. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Tampa where he served as president in 1979-1980 and was named a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a member of the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, Merrymakers, and the University Club. His hobbies included coin collecting, camping, and traveling. He especially enjoyed the game of soccer. He was instrumental in establishing a youth soccer league in Tampa where he served as a coach and referee for many years. He then went on to referee local high school games into his early seventies. He was a family man and enjoyed our vacations to the beach, Disney World, and camping trips to North Carolina. He loved family gatherings where his fun-loving spirit and sense of humor were legendary. He relished the time spent with his grandchildren and was extremely proud of them. He loved his cats, especially his Miss Nellie. Visitation will be held on Friday, February 21st from 6pm to 8pm at Blount Curry Macdill, 605 S. Macdill Ave, Tampa. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Richard’s memory may be made to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay or to the charity of your choice. www.blountcurrymacdill.com
