Obituary of Russell Edward Stiff

Russell Edward "Buzzy" Stiff, Jr. 63 of Fincastle went home to be with the Lord Thursday, September 15, 2016. He was preceded by his parents, Ruby Stiff Lawson and Russell Edward Stiff, Sr., and his step father, Ralph Eugene Lawson. Buzzy was a veteran serving in the U S Navy from 1970 to 1974 and the Army National Guard from 1982-1986 receiving an honorable discharge from both. He retired from the Roanoke City Police Department, had worked for DYNCORP, the U S State Department and United Nations, and had served two stints in the Vukovar Region of the former Yugosalavia, and also in the Timor Region. In addition he retired from the Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole. Buzzy was an avid outdoorsman as well as tremendous Virginia Tech Hokie fan. Surviving are his wife, Lisa Stiff; sister, Sharon (Ramiro) Guacheta; brother Richard (Lynn) Lawson; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Goldie and William Thomas; stepson, Ashton Sullivan; brothers-in-law, Rodney (Judy) Peters, Steve (Vergie) Peters, and William Napier; nephews, Cory Lawson and Nick Guacheta; niece, Katryn Lawson and his special four legged companion, Oliver. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital P O Box 50 Memphis TN 38101-9929 or to the League for Animal Protection 603 Poor Farm Road Fincastle, Va. 24090. There will be a gathering of friends and family Monday, September 19, 2016 at Simpson Funeral Home 5160 Peters Creek Road from 4 to 8 p.m.