Virgil C. Stidham Sr.'s Obituary
STIDHAM, Virgil C. Sr., age 82, passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at Wright Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Springfield.
Virgil grew up in Manchester, Kentucky, where he graduated from Clay County High School, class of ‘61. He earned his State Board Certified EMT certification and proudly served his community for 23 years as an EMT with the Peebles Life Squad in Adams County. He dedicated his life to his faith, his family, and sharing the Gospel with others. He faithfully served as a minister for 63 years with Gospel Revelation and traveled extensively as an evangelist with the Gospel Travelers family group. Much of his life was spent on the road ministering to churches and communities across the region - one year, he spent all but five days traveling and evangelizing. Virgil loved following and reading the commentary from Bruce Lamb and Jimmy Swigart. He was also a devoted member of Well of Grace Pentecostal Outreach Church in Lebanon.
Virgil was a soft-spoken man whose kindness, faith, and steady presence touched countless lives. He loved teaching and preaching about the rapture and sharing the Word of God with anyone willing to listen. His family cherishes many special memories together, especially gathering on the king-size bed as he read the Bible aloud to them. He truly lived his life centered around faith, family, and evangelizing.
Outside of ministry, Virgil enjoyed a wide variety of hobbies and interests. He loved vegetable gardening and often maintained as many as five garden plots at a time. Virgil looked forward to every moment that he could take his son hunting, fishing, or boating. He took great pride in taking care of his son. He enjoyed selling Amish barns and had a special talent for being able to sell anything. He had a passion for playing music, listening to albums and cassette tapes, and disc jockeying. His favorite group was the Hansons. Virgil would cheer on the Kentucky Wildcats and NASCAR, especially Jeff Gordon. He was a huge collector of anything with Jeff Gordon. He also enjoyed shopping, especially for his favorite name-brand foods. Virgil had a playful spirit and took great pride in keeping everything neat and pristine, including his appearance. Among many things, he will be remembered for the love and pride he had for his family and his faith in his Lord and Savior.
Virgil is preceded in death by his loving wife of nearly 58 years, Ruth Stidham, in 2020; his son, Virgil “Cliff” Stidham Jr.; his daughter, Marsha Grover; his son-in-law, Walter Stephens; his grandmother, who raised and adopted him, Mary Susan Stidham; his mother, Chelsea Hutton; and his brother, Vernon Lester Hutton. He is survived by his two daughters, Betty Jane (Clarence) Patterson and Erma Stephens; son-in-law, Ken Grover, his brother, Walter (Denise) Hutton; his sister, Carlie (Garry) Willoughby; his two grandchildren, Raenita (Fred) Guge and Carl (Kristen) Clifton; eight great grandchildren, Andrew, Jacob, Emma, Faith, Noah, Nathan, Olivia, and Joshua; and three great great grand children.
Funeral services will be at 1 pm on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. Bruce Lamb will be officiating. Burial will be at Miami Valley Memorial Gardens in Centerville. The family will receive friends from 11 am to 1 pm on Friday at the funeral home. If desired, contributions may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or Well of Grace Pentecostal Outreach in Lebanon. Condolences may be sent to the family at https://stubbsconner.com.
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