Charles Lee Stansifer, long-time resident of Lawrence and Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Kansas, died Thursday, February 4, 2016. He was born December 13, 1930 in Garden City, Kansas, the second son of Benjamin Harrison Stansifer and Berenice Arlene Isabel Lucas.
He was married to Mary Ellen Love on August 21, 1954; she died in 2001. He is survived by their four children and their families — Ryan and Betsy Stansifer of Melbourne Beach, Florida, Mary Lee Stansifer and Jim Collins of Denver, Colorado, John Stansifer of Malibu, California, and Karen Stansifer and Jean-Yves Sabot of Thornton, Colorado. Seven grandchildren and four nephews and nieces also survive.
In 2015 his second partner in life, Mary Miller, died. Professor Stansifer is survived by three of her children and their families — Dianne Miller of Nehalem, Oregon, Kim Miller of Manzanitas, Oregon, and Byron and Ann Miller of Lawrence, Kansas.
Professor Stansifer graduated from Garden Plain High School in 1948 where he played on the football, basketball, and baseball teams. He participated in track, sang in the boys’ quartet, acted in all the high school plays, and edited the high school newspaper. He graduated from Wichita State University with a major in Spanish and master’s degree in history. He began to work on a doctorate in Latin American history at Tulane University under the direction of William Joyce Griffith. He finished his Ph.D. in 1959. He came to the KU as an Assistant Professor of History in 1963. A specialist in Central America, Professor Stansifer taught the first course specifically on the history of Central America in the USA and was a frequent visitor to all the Central American countries, especially Costa Rica. He was director of the Junior-Year program in Costa Rica in 1966 and 1974. He served as the Director of the Center of Latin American Studies from 1975 until 1989, and was Chair of the Department of History from 1993 to 1996. He retired from teaching in 2004.
Until dementia limited his independence, Professor Stansifer traveled all over the world for fun and in pursuit of his many interests. He helped strengthen the KU Library’s collection on Central America to become one of the best in the country. His humorous lectures on the subject of bananas and his extensive collection of banana-related things are well-known. He served for over twenty years on the board of directors of the Kansas-Paraguay Partnership and negotiated the first university exchange agreements between universities in Paraguay and the state universities of Kansas.
A memorial celebration is planned for a later date.
The family wishes to express its great appreciation to Byron Miller and to Gail Zukav-Ross and David Ross of At Home, Inc., for making it possible for Professor Stansifer to live in Lawrence close to KU which he loved. The family suggests memorials to the Stansifer Scholarship Fund at the KU Endowment Association, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044 for the benefit of students of Central American Studies.
Although I didn’t know Prof. Stansifer well, I have heard from his students about his dedication as a teacher. My condolences to Dianne, Kim, Byron, and Ann.
I enrolled in the KU History doctoral program in 1962. My first advisor left after one year. When Charley arrived in 1963, he served as my de facto advisor even though my field was US foreign relations. I could never have shifted later on in my career into Latin American history without his assistance. He had that marvelous combination of teacher/scholar/researcher/friend. He will be long remembered, justly so.
My condolences to his whole family. It was a privilege to have met Dr. Stansifer. He has a special place in our memories. (San Jose, Costa Rica)
We enjoyed many years of playing bridge with Charlie and Mary Ellen, and later with Charlie and Mary, and we got to see the famous banana collection once! They were the kind of people you wanted to know.
Dr. Stansifer was my mentor all the way through grad school at KU, serving as the director of both my MA thesis and PhD dissertation on Costa Rica. When I met him, I knew KU was the right place for me, and I valued so very greatly from Charley’s classes, seminar’s, mentorship, and friendship. He had the perfect combination of when to be hands-off to let me do my own thing, and hands-on to guide me when I needed it. And his love for Central America and its people and their history is why I dedicated my first book to Charley. I’ll miss him greatly, as will all the KU Latin Americanist family.
Deepest condolences to John and family. Such a wonderful man. What a wonderful legacy to leave you all.
Prof. Charles Stansifer was one of the first members of the Kansas-Paraguay Partnership who introduced me to the State of Kansas, to the Education in the United States, and to many prominent members of the Kansas-Paraguay Committee as well as to Faculty members of KU and of other universitites in the State of Kansas. As a young volunteer of the Paraguay-Kansas Committee I found in Prof. Stansifer a true friend and a conspicuous member of the KU Faculty. He was a humble man, highly educated, an intelectual with a deep knowledge of the Latin American history and social and political idiosyncrasies. A loving husband and father, a true friend of my country Paraguay. He found pleasure and satisfaction in assisting all volunteers and citizens from Paraguay visiting our Partner State of Kansas in the U.S. My family and I honor his memory and will keep the fondest memories of his wonderful person.
Although we did not know him well personally, we were inspired by his enthusiasm for teaching and his knowledge. He was a gentle, humble man who touched his students’ lives. Our condolences to the family.