The family of the late veterinarian Dr. Steve Stafford was honored by the Washington Parish Council on Monday evening.

After Stafford’s passing, Cindy Parker Stafford and her children decided that the equipment from the veterinarian’s clinic would need to be sold. She offered Parish President Richard “Ned” Thomas Jr. the opportunity to purchase some surgical equipment for the new Washington Parish Animal Shelter that is currently being constructed.

Stafford and her children saw the need of other supplies that they had in the clinic’s inventory, and graciously donated items to help complete a long list that would needed in order to complete the medical supplies inventory for the new shelter.

Because of the generous contribution, and the work that Dr. Stafford did in Washington Parish, Thomas requested that the surgery suite should be named the “Steve Stafford Surgery Suite” for the new shelter.

During Monday’s council meeting, Thomas and parish council members expressed their thanks to the Stafford family for their generosity. They also read a proclamation and displayed the new Stafford surgery suite sign.

The text of the proclamation was as follows:

“Whereas, Washington Parish is in the final stages of completing a facility that will shelter and treat abandoned animals throughout Washington Parish on a day-to-day basis; and

“Whereas, at a time when a family had recently lost a loved one, Cindy Parker Stafford saw the need that Washington Parish had and offered equipment and needed items to help complete the inventory to treat and care for the animals in the new Washington Parish Animal Shelter; and

“Whereas, out of this generosity and the love for a husband and father, Barry Stephen “Steve” Stafford who practiced veterinary medicine in Washington Parish and surrounding areas for 38 years, his wife Cindy Parker Stafford and her family helped Washington Parish acquire the surgical tools and equipment necessary to supply a surgery suite at the Washington Parish Animal Shelter; and

“Whereas, it is with profound gratitude of the generosity shown to Washington Parish and to the Animal Shelter that I, Richard N. Thomas Jr., President of Washington Parish proclaim, from this day forward, April 15, 2019; the surgery suite at the Washington Parish Animal Shelter will be known as,

“DR. STEVE STAFFORD SURGERY SUITE

“Now therefore be it known; that a plaque will be created to display at the entrance of the surgery suite to show our gratitude for the kind gesture that the family of Dr. Steve Stafford has shown to Washington Parish and the Animal Shelter.”