Nicholas Thomas Stafford III was killed in May 1998 when he lost control of his BMW and hit a utility pole near his Dallas home. Nick was exhausted from traveling on business and fell asleep at the wheel.
He was bom in Savannah, GA, the son of a career Army officer, graduated from high school in 1964 in Lawton, OK, and attended Oklahoma University for one year before accepting an appointment to USMA in 1965.
At West Point, Nick excelled in contact sports, and was a graceful wide receiver on the 150-pound football team. He was nicknamed "Lance" after the great wide receiver from Arkansas—Lance Alworth, renowned for his unbelievable pass receptions in critical games during the ’60s. He earned three varsity letters, and his team lost only one game during this time. Nick sharpened his pass catching skills with extra practice, as the two quarterbacks each tossed Nick hundreds of passes in their free time. His extra effort and extreme competitiveness earned him recognition as an All-Conference wide receiver Firstie year. Nick also played rugby, where he exhibited the agility and toughness of a great athlete. Whether it was racquetball, handball, baseball, or golf, Nick had the intensity and natural ability to set himself apart and excel in all competitive sports. He was acutely focused, thrilling to watch and, on all occasions, played to win.
As with athletics, academics came easy for Nick. Without overloading himself, he coasted through classes. Continually being a sharp cadet, he graduated in the top third of his class and selected Field Artillery. In the barracks, Nick was cooperative and always willing to help his classmates. If things were not going well for his friends, he cheered them up; if someone was hurting in academics, he unselfishly coached them. His intensity for sports and personal encouragement developed enduring relationships with his classmates.
Shortly after graduation, Nick married his high school sweetheart, Linda, and they headed to basic training in Lawton. His first duty assignment was in Augsburg, Germany, where he served as aide to GEN Marshal Garth. It may be top secret information, but Nick’s golf game saved GEN Garth’s pride and wallet many times. Because of his excellent golf game and enthusiasm for service to his country, promotions and awards came frequently for Nick.
Nick left Germany for Viet Nam in 1971, and served in the MACV Headquarters with several classmates. He was promoted to captain in Viet Nam and branch transferred to the Adjutant General Corps. He left Viet Nam in 1972, and was selected to attend the AG Career Course at Ft. Ben Harrison, IN, where he won the post racquetball championship while working on a master’s in business from the University of Northern Colorado. Nick was assigned to Ft. Carson after the career course, and served there until his resignation in 1974.
With Nick’s excellent military track record and dynamic personality, he was immediately hired by Merrill Lynch. He trained in New York and Dallas for one year before moving permanently to Dallas. By that time, Nick and Linda had four children—Lance born in Germany, Tara born in Indiana, Jimmy (named after a classmate and 150-pound football player killed in a helicopter crash, Jimmy Ford) born at Ft. Carson, and Kearney born in Dallas. He easily met the business world challenges and excelled rapidly at Merrill Lynch, where he became a top producer. He specialized in the options market, and his tips and advice were often quoted in the Wall Street Journal and other credible publications because of his innovative style and ideas. He left Merrill Lynch for Institutional Equity but returned to Merrill Lynch before accepting an offer as Senior VP/Branch Manager for Dean Witter in 1988. In 1994, Nick founded his own stock brokerage company—Waterford Capital Corporation—and served as president until his death.
Nick was an avid golfer. Growing up as a youngster on several military posts, he was known to play golf from sunup to sundown. He practiced and played at the prestigious Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas, where he proudly displayed a two or three handicap and served as club president during 1996-97. The Royal Oaks Club members treasured his leadership and communication skills while directing the club. Nick played golf all over the world and was excited every time he played on a new course. He couldn’t wait to share his golf experiences with his friends.
When Nick’s marriage with Linda ended, the children continued to be close, and Nick insured that all graduated from major universities. Nick married Martha in June 1995. During their three years of marriage, Nick stamped the values of commitment and hard work on his four stepchildren—David, Sharon, Charlie, and Chris O’Conner. Those were happy years for Nick and Martha, and his business flourished.
Even though Nick pushed himself and maintained high pressure positions in the stock brokerage business, he always had time for his friends. He took numerous personal phone calls daily from classmates and friends who wanted advice or just a good word. He was one of the main contacts for class information, because he seemed to know about everyone and everything. He was active in the West Point Society of North Texas, and served as president during 1983-84. He participated in the annual flag football event against Navy, the softball games against Navy and Air Force, and numerous golf tournaments. He was one of the founding members of the Service Academy Golf Classic and worked tirelessly to insure its success. It is the only NCAA-sanctioned tournament where USMA, USNA, USAFA, and USMMA play head-to-head matches. In honor of the many hours Nick devoted to the success of the tournament, it was the unanimous decision of the Service Academy Golf Committee to name the medalist award trophy the "Nick Stafford Medalist Cup" in his honor. The coveted trophy is awarded each year to the cadet/ midshipman medalist champion and is displayed at the Academy of the reigning champion. Nick will remain in our hearts always, and we feel privileged to be able to honor his memory.
Nick was an outgoing, fun-loving, eternally optimistic leader with a marvelous sense of humor. He was a fierce competitor, loyal team player, fine soldier, gentleman to all, devoted father to four children and four stepchildren, and good friend to many. Even though he had great success in athletics and business, Nick always felt his greatest achievement was his children. He deeply loved his family and truly lived the ideals of West Point. Even though we grieve his loss to us, we know our lives are so much richer for knowing him. The joy of his friendship will be with us forever.