In Loving Memory of Coach Rich Stokes Aug 24, 1945 – Sept. 8, 2026
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
A Celebration of the Life of Coach Rich Stokes
Batter up! Come celebrate the life of Coach Rich Stokes with live music, heartfelt stories, laughs, tears, and then stay for hot dogs and brats from Char Steakhouse! The service will be officiated by Pastor Craig Brown and include special guest appearances by many of the important players in Rich’s life.
When: Thursday, September 24th, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Fairfield Arts & Convention Center (200 N. Main St, Fairfield, IA, 52256)
Dress Code: Please dress like you are going to the ballpark and wear your favorite game day attire (i.e., jeans, shorts, jerseys, sports t-shirts, etc.).
Please join Rich’s family, friends, and the entire Fairfield community to cheer for Rich as he rounds the bases and crosses home plate for the last time!
Fairfield, Iowa – Rich Stokes, beloved father, grandfather, brother, and mentor to generations of Fairfield Little League players, passed away peacefully on September 8, 2026 at the age of 81, due to symptoms related to Parkinson’s Disease. Over the last year, Rich was cared for by Dr. Richard Curtis, Addington Place of Fairfield, Compassus Hospice, The Summit of Coralville, Prestige of Fairfield, and his daughter, Laurie. In 2025, Laurie made the decision to stop working to become a full-time advocate and caregiver to Rich.
Born on August 24, 1945 in East Brunswick, New Jersey, Rich graduated from East Brunswick High School in 1963, graduated from Parsons College in Fairfield in 1970, then went to work for Falco where he remained for precisely 44 years, 7 months, and 20 days. Those close to Rich know that he loved numbers and had a photographic memory for statistics, so that figure (and a million facts about baseball) were always ready at the forefront of his mind to share with anyone who would listen.
Rich was briefly married to Carol Cochran and had one child, Laurie, then married Shirley Lauderman on November 14th, 1981 and remained with her until her death in 2005. Over his lifetime, Rich was the recipient of many awards, including the Fairfield Citizen of the Year in 2002 and The Maharishi Award for Information and Inspiration in 2009. Rich’s true legacy, however, was forged on the Little League fields of Jefferson County. For more than 50 years, Rich coached Little League baseball in Fairfield. During that time, he mentored hundreds of children, most of whom had no idea the man guiding them would ultimately become a lifelong friend. Rich proudly displayed the trophies and photos from his years of coaching on the walls of his basement. Year after year, Rich returned to the diamond, teaching not just baseball fundamentals, but life lessons about discipline, teamwork, humility, and heart. For his hard work and dedication, the baseball fields on Glasgow Road were renamed the “Rich Stokes Little League Complex” in 2024 to honor Rich and his lifelong commitment to the Fairfield community.
Rich is survived by his daughter, Laurie Stokes-Woods (Adam), sisters Pamela and Deborah, and his 7 grandchildren: Luke, Cora, Owen, Erin, Taylor, Elijah, and Mackenzie, Daughter-in-law Jill Johnson, Son-in-law Tom Carey, and special friend Ann Shipman. He was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Helen, Mother-in-law Beulah Lauderman, and his wife Shirley.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Fairfield Little League, The Lord’s Cupboard, Little Superheroes, The African Violet Foundation, or Compassus Hospice and may be mailed c/o Cranston Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 189, Fairfield, IA 52556. Friends may leave online condolences at www.cranstonfamilyfuneralhome.com.
