Murray Stafford: ‘I Can’t Imagine Anything Better’

Facts.

That’s what Murray Stafford deals with no matter which job of his he’s performing.

Until he retires in June as a science instructor at Barnesville High, he teaches General Science, Earth Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics, and as a Harvard-certified meteorologist, the latest technology aids him when developing forecasts. While Murray, who lives in the Morristown area with his bride, Marcia, is preaching as the Senior Pastor at the Victory Baptist Church, The Lord is his source of information.

So, facts.

But Stafford brings more to the table than just the textbook, and that’s because he chose to mentor his students over his 34-year teaching career, and his congregation at Victory is his first priority because it’s his true calling.

Lest we forget Murray’s side hustle as the local weatherman, a gig he digs because he learned his first lessons from his father during his flying days. He provides daily and weekly forecasts on his Facebook page, “Murray Stafford’s Ohio Valley Weather,” he also operates a “pro subscription” page, and he frequently appears on River Talk Radio 100.1/100.9 FM on weekday afternoons.

Thanks, in part, to a wise woman’s intuition.

Why Weather?

Even as a kid, I was always interested in the weather. My love of the weather came from my dad who was a pilot. As a pilot, my dad was always very cautious when it came to flying. And so, because of this, my dad was always watching the weather.

From him, I learned about the different types of clouds and what conditions would lead to a “bumpy” flight. As I grew older my interest in the weather continued to grow. By the time that I was attending Kent State University while pursuing a Science degree, I knew that I wanted to include Meteorology as part of my coursework.

I have been thankful that, over the years, I have been able to teach Earth Science which has included a unit of Meteorology. Hopefully, my love of the weather has been passed on to the next generation.

What is the best thing in the world?

I would have to say that the best thing in the world is knowing Jesus Christ as my Savior. When you consider God’s Plan of Salvation, it sometimes seems inconceivable that we, who are sinners, can be given eternal life by a righteous, perfect God. But, because of His plan which was to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the sacrifice for all sin, our sins can now be forgiven, and forgotten, by God!

And now, He promises eternal life to all who believe in Him for it! I can’t imagine anything better than that!

Professionally, you are a teacher, a pastor, and a weatherman. Which occupation do you love the most, and which the least?

This is a tough question because I really love all my jobs. Not only have I always had a strong interest in the weather, but I have always been interested in Science in general. And so, because of that, I chose the career of being a Science teacher.

In 2009, I felt the call to be the Pastor at Victory Baptist Chapel in St. Clairsville. Although I felt that God was calling me to do this, at the same time, I felt that I was inadequately prepared for the task. But, through prayer and Godly counsel, God assured me that He would guide me through it. And so, I accepted the call.

I would say that being a Pastor is the job that I love the most because it allows me to see God at work in my own life and in the lives of others. As I said, I enjoy all of my jobs, but with 34 years of teaching under my belt, I feel that it’s time for that chapter of my life to come to a close. That’s why I announced my retirement at the end of April.

What kind of weather do you fear the most for the Upper Ohio Valley, and how likely is it to happen here?

The weather that I fear the most for the Upper Ohio Valley would be tornadoes.

For some reason, many people in our local area have the idea that our terrain prevents the formation of tornadoes. This is simply not true. Tornadoes have been recorded in every county in the state of Ohio, and most of the counties in West Virginia. And, despite what most people believe, there have even been tornadoes that have crossed over the Ohio River.

Now, admittedly, tornadoes are more common in western Ohio, but this is due to the fact that as you travel westward you are getting closer to “Tornado Alley”. But, even so, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia still see a significant number of tornadoes each year which means that the chances of us seeing more tornadoes in our local area are fairly high.

What is the best advice your wife has ever offered you?

I would have to say that the best advice that my wife has ever given me is to follow God’s calling.

In all my endeavors over the years, Marcia has been a constant source of encouragement every step along the way. In addition to that, I have learned that Marcia’s “Woman’s Intuition” is usually spot on. She has an incredible ability to seemingly know what people are thinking or secretly doing.

And so, over the years, I have learned that, if she believes that something is happening, she’s probably right.