Sheila D. Stafford

Sheila Duranceau Stafford, 56, passed away after a short battle with cancer in Wausau, WI. She was previously diagnosed in 2020 and had been in remission for 5 years prior.

Born in New Orleans. It was joked that Sheila loved two things: Coca-Cola and Scooby Doo. However, Sheila was more than that. She loved to create, whether it was advanced lego sets, 3D puzzles, creating and building DND campaigns, crocheting, or any type of art, she fully embraced it. Her love for creation stemmed from her love of fantasy and science fiction. She was a big reader, the Xanth series and Harry Potter series were some of her favorites. She watched Doctor Who growing up and continued into adulthood sharing the love of the show with her children and anyone else who had an interest. She enjoyed music and trivia, singing along to every song on the radio and knowing all of the titles.

Sheila loved people. She was very friendly to any stranger and saw everyone as her friend. She was always willing to help someone in need and had done so many times. She believed that family should know each other and spent many days connecting with long lost cousins and helping to build the Duranceau family together.

Sheila has two great accomplishments that she was incredibly proud of and that she felt defined her as a person. First was her time in the Air Force from 1992 to 1998 stationed at Elmendorf Air Force base in Alaska. Second was being a mother. She loved her children and that love spread to her grandchildren. She was very proud of her grandchildren and would show pictures of them to anyone who would listen. She would have been a great grandmother.

She is survived by her children: Rachel Samuelson (Russ Kezeske) and Alexander Samuelson, and her very loved grandchildren that brought her much strength and joy in the last 2 months: Elijah Kezeske and Ezra Kezeske, and her best friend Wanda Worden who stayed by her side during her final days."

A funeral service will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Brainard Funeral Home in Weston. A visitation will go from 10:00 am until the time of services at the funeral home. Military honors will follow services. A burial at Restlawn Memorial Park will take place on Friday, November 20, 2026, at 10:00 am. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sheila's honor can be directed to the VFW, checks can be mailed to 212 E. Randolph Street, Wausau, WI, 54401.