Jerry Stewart Stoddard

Jerry Stewart Stoddard age 97, widower of Roberta “Bobbie” Fowler Stoddard, died on Saturday, June 6, 2026 at the Presbyterian Home of Clinton.

Jerry was born on January 1, 1929 in Owings, South Carolina to Fred and Teresa Stoddard, the fifth of seven children. He graduated from Gray Court Owings High School in 1945. After various jobs, he went to work for Piedmont Rural Telephone Cooperative in 1951. There he met Roberta Fowler “Bobbie”, and they were married for 69 ½ years until Bobbie’s death on October 29, 2021. Jerry was the manager at PRTC until he retired in 1992. In his career, Jerry received a national management award, was the SC Independent Telephone Association president from 1974-76 and received their Hall of Fame Award in 2004.  A lifelong Presbyterian, he served as a deacon and elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Laurens. He also served on the Palmetto Bank advisory board, as president of the Exchange Club and was in the Army Reserves for six years. In his retirement Jerry enjoyed working at the farm, playing golf with several senior groups around the state and enjoying time with his family.

Their family includes his son, Jerry Stewart Stoddard, Jr. (Margaret), their daughter Erin Stoddard Merline (Andy) ; his daughter, Elizabeth Stoddard Pafford (Julian), their children, Griffin Stoddard Pafford and Julia Elizabeth Pafford (Brent Anderson) and their son Benjamin Pafford Anderson; his son Wesley Scott Stoddard (d.1-13-2011), daughter-in-law Catherine Birchfield Stoddard and their children, Dr. Caroline Stoddard Astemborski (Stephen)and their daughter Clare Redmond Astemborski; Rebecca Stoddard Turnbull (Tom) and their son Scott Thomas Turnbull; Clayton Wesley Stoddard (Mary Hunter) and their daughter Anne Whaley Stoddard and son Wesley Scott Stoddard ll. He is also survived by one brother, Ray Stoddard.

In addition to his parents and his wife, Jerry was preceded in death by his son, Wesley Scott Stoddard.

Jerry and Bobbie spent many precious times with their six grandchildren on the lake, on beach trips and during holidays. And in the last few years Jerry has welcomed five great grandchildren. Our family always felt their quiet pride in us and their love for us, even as they always expected the best from us. How lucky we are to have had them in our lives.

Jerry’s service will be on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Laurens following a private burial. The family will receive friends and family after the church service in Hunter Hall.

Memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church 400 West Main Street Laurens, SC.

Condolences may be expressed to the family online by visiting www.grayfuneralhome.com.

Gray Funeral Home of Laurens is honored to assist the Stoddard family with services.