Charles J. Stanford, 84, went to be with the loved ones before him on March 17th, 2025. He was born November 3rd, 1940, to Walter and Mary (Kukos) Stanford. Charles went by many names, including Charlie, Uncle Chuck, Dad, Papa, and Papa Railcats. However, his latest accomplishment was being called Great Grandpa! Charles was one of seven siblings and the middle child to them all as well as an Uncle to many.

A dedicated worker, he retired as a custodian from Merrillville High School in Indiana, where he not only took pride in his job but also had a knack for finding treasure in the form of loose change. By the end of each school year, he had butter containers filled with coins left behind by students who didn't see their value—but Charlie certainly did.

A lifelong baseball fan, Charlie had a special place in his heart for the Railcats. Over the years, he opened his home to Railcat players, treating them as family and collecting every newspaper article written about the team with pride. To this day, if you go to the Steel Yard, you will find a seat with his name on it behind home plate! During home games, there was never a question of where to find "Papa Railcats"—he was always there, cheering on his team.

Beyond baseball, Chuck was a passionate train enthusiast and a collector of rare coins. But above all, his greatest pride was his family. He was a devoted father to his son, Todd (Lisa) Stanford, and a beloved Papa to Brittany (Matt) Berkos, Ashley (Terry) Tate, Larz, Quinten, Julia, and Cora Stanford. In recent years, he welcomed his most cherished title—Great-Grandfather—to Theresa Tate who proceeded him, Foust Tate, and Vincent Berkos.

In honor of Charlie, take a day this season to enjoy a baseball game, pick up every penny you find, and never stop collecting names and memories. Most importantly, remember that above all titles, the one that matters most is being called a child of God.

The family will honor Charlie's life privately this summer at a baseball game, just as he would have wanted.