{"id":25193,"date":"2022-02-20T11:06:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-20T16:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25193"},"modified":"2022-02-21T09:09:00","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T14:09:00","slug":"dup-mla-christopher-stalford-dies-aged-39","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25193","title":{"rendered":"DUP MLA Christopher Stalford Dies, Aged 39"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Christopher Stalford (PA Archive\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

DUP MLA Christopher Stalford has died at the age of 39, party leader Jeffrey Donaldson has confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The south Belfast representative and father-of-four died suddenly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, Mr Donaldson said: \u201cI am deeply saddened to learn of Christopher\u2019s sudden death. He was not just an elected representative or a colleague, he was a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn behalf of the party, I express my sympathies to (wife) Laura and the wider Stalford family on the loss of a husband, father, son and brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI talked at length with Christopher on Friday night. He was passionate about Northern Ireland and wanted the best for his constituents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was never to know how precious that conversation was to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost telling of all in that conversation was his pride in Laura and their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe talked about his eldest child transferring to big school and the discussions that were ongoing in the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChristopher was born to be a public representative. From his teenage years he was a regular contributor to politics both in the print and broadcast media.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Stalford and his wife Laura, a former dental nurse, have four children \u2013 Trinity, Oliver, Cameron and Abigail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Stalford was elected as a Belfast councilor in 2005 to represent the Laganbank area and then from 2014 represented the Balmoral area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was elected the High Sheriff of Belfast in 2010 and Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, Mr Stalford was elected to represent Belfast South in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and from January 2020 he served as the principal deputy speaker of the Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Donaldson said Mr Stalford believed in \u201cstretching himself to build a genuinely shared future\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cHe was confident in his unionism and his identity and was always prepared to provide leadership to keep Northern Ireland moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Stalford family will be in our prayers as they mourn Christopher\u2019s passing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUP chairman Maurice Morrow said: \u201cI\u2019ve known Christopher since his childhood. His family have been faithful members of the party from its foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a party, we are shocked and saddened by his death but most of all we are heartbroken for Laura, their four little children and Christopher\u2019s wider family who will feel this loss most keenly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are praying that the God of all comfort will be with the Stalford family at this difficult and sad time as they mourn the sudden and unexpected passing of one who was so dear and precious to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom his earliest days, Christopher was immersed in the politics of Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was a committed unionist and was always destined to be an elected representative because he had a heart for the people, public service and making Northern Ireland better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe thank those across the political spectrum for their condolences and thoughtfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe ask that Christopher\u2019s family are given privacy and space to grieve.\u201d<\/p>\n

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