James Troy Stanfield, Jr.

James Troy Stanfield, Jr. (Jim) went to be with his Savior on October 2, 2022, due to complications following a liver transplant.

Jim was born on March 13, 1963, in Jacksonville, Florida, to Troy and Mary Stanfield. Although he was an only child, he had a large extended family and grew up surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many beloved cousins. After spending his early childhood in Saint Mary's, Georgia, he moved with his parents in 1971, an hour or so away, to Blackshear, Georgia. He was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" and was the STAR Student of Blackshear High School's Class of 1981.

Following high school, Jim came to the Atlanta area to attend Oxford College of Emory University. After completing his Associate Degree, he spent a year at Georgia State University before transferring to his beloved Georgia Institute of Technology. He cherished his years at Georgia Tech, especially his time spent at the Baptist Student Union. He completed a B.S. in Management in 1985. Jim remained stubbornly loyal to the Yellow Jackets throughout his life. When it came to Georgia Tech football, he was the picture of optimism that bordered on delusion.

After his graduation from Tech, Jim began working in the pulp and paper industry. He remained in this field throughout his career and was a valued manager at several different companies, including 18 years with Valmet.

In his free time, Jim began serving as a volunteer at Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta. That was the beginning of what would become a way of life: taking on crucial but often unnoticed roles. Jim drove the bus that picked up the "little old ladies" at the retirement home to take them to Sunday School each week. He helped operate the A/V system during the worship services. Perhaps the most significant of these volunteer roles was helping with Wieuca's college ministry. There, he met his future wife, Paige, who was a member of the college department.

Completely smitten, Jim hatched a scheme to get Paige to go out to dinner with him by telling her that he just wanted to "help her with her resume." It worked like a charm. After a few years of dating (and Jim accepting the fact that Paige had been raised a UGA Dawg), they married in 1993. (It also should be noted that while working full time, volunteering, and learning to peacefully coexist with Paige, Jim also found time to earn both an MBA and a law degree from Georgia State University. He was really, really smart.)

As a husband, Jim was calm and supportive. He was the quiet to Paige's chatter and the peace to her restlessness. His patient nature helped him overcome challenges like teaching Paige how to drive a stick shift. His selflessness enabled him to survive the trauma of giving up his Georgia Tech football tickets because Dave Ramsey said he needed to.

In 1997, Jim began his favorite role of all: as father to his three sons. Harper came first, followed by John less than two years later, and Gib in 2000. The boys were the greatest joys of Jim's life. From the moment he became a father, Jim's volunteer efforts focused on his sons and their friends. He became known as "The Baby Whisperer" in the nursery at Wieuca. Jim had a magic touch that soothed not only his own children but just about any other fussy baby in the nursery. This new role created occasional competition among the church staff on Sundays. Sometimes the Music Minister needed Jim to fix a problem with the church's A/V system, while the Children's Minister needed him to calm a screaming baby. Jim usually figured out a way to provide both tech support and cranky baby support.

The boys grew older and moved into different activities. The family moved to First Baptist Church of Decatur and eventually to Passion City Church. Through it all, Jim was there — from baseball games to band field trips to youth group ski retreats. Jim stayed mostly in the background, quietly taking care of the mundane but critical details that others might not have even thought about. No matter the activity or the event, Jim was there to cheer on his boys and to assist where needed. He was their biggest helper and their loudest fan.

Jim was preceded in death by his grandparents and his parents. In addition to his wife and sons, Jim leaves behind his parents-in-law, Steve and Marie Edwards, his brother-in-law, Stephen Edwards, and a host of beloved aunts, cousins and friends. While we grieve the loss of this quiet, kind and constant man, we rejoice knowing that he has entered into God's presence hearing the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Those who loved Jim will gather at First Baptist Church of Decatur on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. to celebrate his life. The family will receive visitors at a reception after the service. To honor Jim's memory and carry on his legacy, his family encourages everyone to find a volunteer role in which to serve. It will make a difference in your life and in the lives of those you help.