FAYETTEVILLE - Our beloved father, Dr. Robert Thome Stapleton, 88, of Fayetteville, passed away Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in his residence in Fayetteville after a short but steep decline in his health. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, in Snyder Memorial Baptist Church with Dr. John Cook officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the memorial service from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Snyder Memorial. Following the service, inurnment will take place at Lafayette Memorial Cemetery. Dr. Stapleton was born on July 22, 1925, in Americus, Ga. to Dr. Sidney Franklin Stapleton and Eva Nouse Stapleton. He attended high school in Americus followed by college and veterinary school at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. He practiced veterinary medicine with his father, Dr. Sidney Franklin Stapleton from 1946 to 1949 in Americus before moving to Fayetteville to join W.O. Slappey in partnership at Cape Fear Animal Hospital for 35 years. During that time, Dr. Stapleton was a past president of the Fayetteville Rotary Club in 1964, a charter member and long serving deacon of Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, a past president of the N.C. Veterinary Association, and former director of the N.C. Veterinary Research Foundation. He was also an avid golfer. Dr. Stapleton was preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Mrs. Ruth Carter Stapleton. He is survived by his four children; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and his loving and constant companion of 25 years. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to The CARE Clinic, PO Box 53438 Fayetteville, NC 28305. Services entrusted to Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, of Fayetteville.

Published by Fayetteville Observer from Jan. 3 to Jan. 5, 2014.

{Obituary has been edited to protect the privacy of the living in accordance with FAG guidelines.}