David Wayne Stalnaker Sr.

David Wayne Stalnaker, Sr. passed away on May 20, 2023 at the age of 70. David was born in Columbia, SC and moved to Pelion to try his hand at the chores and fresh air of the countryside. He successfully raised a large crop of children, and is survived by daughter Kimberly (Kenneth) Bordeaux and her children Zach and Madison, son Jack Stalnaker and his children Koren and Eleanor, daughter Melissa (Marlin) Martoi and her children Gabby and Haley, daughter Jennifer Stalnaker, and daughter Susan (Joshua) Grim and her children Asyiah and Cheyenne, his sister Debra Corder, his brother Samuel Stalnaker, and many other relations. He is also survived by his wife Amelia Stalnaker, who hopped in his red convertible for a “Coke and a pack of Nabs” and stayed for more than fifty years. David is preceded in death by his son David Stalnaker, Jr. with whom he was alike in more than names. We hope they are somewhere together, trying to outdo themselves in off-color humor of which they were their own biggest admirers.

In all things, David was relentless and stubborn in the best of ways. He always pressed forward, wore himself down to a nub, and kept going until he could go no more. He could build almost anything and repair almost everything, from broken cars to upset children. He was a musician with too small a stage, an artist with too small a gallery, and a comedian with a well-practiced, well-rehearsed repertoire of material. His mechanical and electrical creations often tread the line between art and function, and he leaves behind such works as the Frankencar and the Eclipse 2017. 

David loved to teach to anyone who wanted a lesson. In addition to teaching his children and grandchildren how to field strip a carburetor, he shared his knowledge of turtle biology, horse eating habits, small bird portion sizes, and the importance of proper conversational pacing. And if you have the time, he would like to know if you have heard about his three-legged pig.

Barr-Price Funeral Home and Crematorium, Historic B-L Chapel is assisting the family.

Private services will be held on May 27. Please feel free to send flowers to David’s wife Amelia, or in lieu of flowers, please donate to the pulmonary fibrosis research fund of your choice. 

Online register at Barr-Price.com

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