William Increase Stoddard died on December 4, 2009, at Tryon Estates in Columbus, NC.&bsp; He was 95. Mr. Stoddard and his wife, Carolyn Folsom Stoddard, who predeceased him in 2004, resided in Polk County for over thirty years. He was a loving husband and father and will be deeply missed.

Born in New York City in 1914, Mr. Stoddard was the son of the late John Milton and Maude (Harp) Stoddard of New York City. He was a graduate of The Hill School, Cornell University (Arts & Sciences), and Cornell Law School. In his undergraduate years, he was the editor-in-chief of the Cornell Daily Sun. Following his marriage in 1939, Mr. Stoddard began his career with a Wall Street law firm, later joining Burke and Burke as partner where he practiced in a variety of areas until his retirement in 1978.

After the birth of his three children, the family moved to Sands Point, Long Island, where Mr. Stoddard and his wife resided until they retired to Tryon, North Carolina. During those earlier years Mr. Stoddard enjoyed many good times of family sailing weekends and down-east cruises in summers with skiing in Colorado and Austria in winters. When the children graduated from college and left home, Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard enjoyed traveling and explored places around the world on sea and land. Upon retirement to North Carolina, they resumed earlier interests in bridge and golf. Mr. Stoddard became involved in a number of community organizations including Tryon Rotary. With the encouragement of his children, Mr. Stoddard became adept at using early computers for keeping ties with family. This also enabled him to explore his passion for researching the family genealogy, an interest which he carried on into his 90s. He continued his lifelong interest in the study of world history and completing The New York Times crossword puzzles.

Mr. Stoddard is survived by two sons, Jonathan T. Stoddard of New York City, and Sandy Stoddard of Weston, Conn., and a daughter Charlotte Campbell (Mac) of Lake George, New Brunswick, Canada. He also leaves four grandchildren, Kristina Stoddard (Ramsey Harcourt), Jon Campbell (Jane Ross), Chris Campbell, and Jeanine Fraulo (Lou), plus seven great-grandchildren, as well as brother-in-law Henry T. Folsom of Randolph, N.H.

There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be held at Tryon Estates on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10.30 a.m.

Memorial donations may be made in Mr. Stoddards name to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills or an organization of the donors choice.

An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com.

McFarland Funeral Chapel, Tryon.