Robert Stanfield Obituary

Robert "Bobby" Spencer Stanfield, 79, of Mountain Springs community in rural Colbert County, passed away on July 23, 2025. He was born on June 13, 1946, to the late Robert Bruce Stanfield and Ercie Pearl Stanfield.

Bobby was preceded in death by his beloved wife Carolyn Stanfield; stepson Bennett Flanagan; siblings Dorothy Mayfield, Bruce Stanfield, and RB Stanfield.

He served his country in the United States Navy and had a diverse career that reflected his hardworking spirit. Bobby worked various jobs early in his career before spending many years at the Ford Motor Company diecast plant in Muscle Shoals. He and Carolyn later opened and operated Stanfield's Convenience Store at the corner of AL Highway 247 and US 72. Bobby then started his own backhoe business, installing septic tanks, storm shelters, and occasionally digging graves. Throughout his career, he was known for his generosity, often helping families and nonprofit organizations by providing discounted backhoe work when they needed it most. He also helped install community storm shelters throughout Colbert County.

During high school, Bobby was elected to sing lead in the glee club at Cherokee High School because of his exceptional vocal range. This led to the formation of "Bobby and the Hootenanny Girls," a subgroup of the glee club. His love of music continued throughout his life as he played guitar, sang, and led singing at Mountain Springs Baptist Church. In his later years, he would share videos with family of himself watching bluegrass gospel videos on YouTube, often singing along.

Bobby was a man of many talents and interests. He was known throughout the community for his legendary barbecue, which he would generously give as gifts to others. Many will tell you it was the best barbecue they ever had. He loved cooking in a Dutch oven over an open fire and could identify any tree in the woods. Bobby enjoyed watching Western movies and was such a friendly conversationalist that he made friends wherever he went. He loved taking care of his pets and farm animals, growing tomatoes, and enjoying milkshakes. At Christmas time, children who didn't even know him would stare because he looked so much like Santa Claus.

After a tornado felled large timber in The Cove, Bobby turned this challenge into an opportunity. Using logging skills learned from his father, he took the logs to an Amish sawmill in Tennessee and used the resulting lumber to build the dream home he and Carolyn shared in Mountain Springs. This home became the heart of their family celebrations, hosting big Christmas gatherings and their annual pumpkin day where children would carve jack-o'-lanterns.

Bobby was very close to Jeffro Nestle, who was like a son to him, helped him with his work, and cared well for him. Bobby loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and even in his later years, after several hospitalizations that seemed he might not recover from, he would bounce back months later, climbing into his backhoe and driving his dump truck with remarkable resilience.

Bobby is survived by his son Todd Stanfield and his wife Carla of Jackson, TN; daughter Melodie Smith of Florence; stepson Lydell Flanagan and his wife Tena of Leighton; and many dearly loved grandchildren: Cramer, Tanner, Hunter, and Spencer Flanagan, Makayla Flanagan, MaRanda Tucker, Margee Stanfield, and Mollie Smith; along with 9 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Saturday, July 26, at 9:30 AM followed by funeral service at 11:00 AM, both at Morrison Funeral Home in Tuscumbia. Graveside service will be family only.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you hug your family a little tighter, call someone you have not spoken to in a while, and help someone in need, just as Bobby always did.