Troy was born August 12, 1979 to Pat and Linda Stidham, at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas in Houston, Texas. He entered the world about 30 minutes after his twin brother Sean Stidham was delivered. It was the first sign that Troy enjoyed his own personal time, which continued through much of his life. His early years were spent in Missouri City, Texas, where he was joined by his brother and older sister, Angela Stidham. In the early years there were constant trips to visit his grandparents, Mary and George Dowling of Andrews, Texas, and Don and Sue Stidham of White Oak, Texas.

The family moved to Arlington, Texas prior to beginning his educational journey. With the exception of his junior year in high school when he attended Archbishop O’ Hara High School in Kansas City, Missouri. Troy was a student of the Arlington Independent School District, graduating in 1998. During his high school years, he worked in retail and was a model for Foley’s Teen Board. Upon graduation Troy briefly returned to Kansas City, Missouri prior to enrolling in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.   

Troy returned to Texas to pursue a career in interior design working for numerous retailers. He took great joy in decorating, whether it was his own place or that of other family members, including his mother, grandmother and sister.

Theater was another of his passions, which he shared with his sister, Angela. Even before graduating from high school, he performed in a number of shows at Main Street Theater and UTA’s Main Stage. Shows included Oklahoma, The Taming of the Shrew, Godspell and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. His love for theater and the connections he made resulted in him working at Theatre Arlington over a nine-year period. He fulfilled a number of positions including office manager and facilities coordinator. During his time there he was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the Live Theatre League of Tarrant County. A highlight of his love for theater occurred when he and Angela were able to attend the Tony Awards in New York City.

Perhaps his greatest love was travel. Troy enjoyed exploring other cities and countries with his family such as Italy, Mexico, Canada, and numerous sites throughout the United States. He had a fondness for coastal areas of both the Northeast and Northwest, particularly the Oregon coast where he would collect stones from the shoreline. New England, especially Maine, was a favorite as well as Washington DC.  Some of his greatest adventures include trips with Zac Scott to South Africa, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Germany, and the UK where they spent two weeks. Troy continued to travel, just recently knocking Argentina off his bucket-list. He particularly loved Saint Martin and London. His travels allowed him to try different cuisine, which probably explains why he loved watching cooking shows such as Lidia’s Kitchen with his mom.

Troy is survived by: mom Linda Stidham of Arlington, Texas; sister Angela Stidham of Grand Prairie, Texas; brother Sean Stidham (James Phirman) of San Diego, California; father Pat Stidham (Debra) of North Kansas City, Missouri; stepsister Cassie Callahan of North Kansas City, Missouri; stepbrother Cougar Gray (Katie) of Parkville, Missouri; uncles Micheal Stidham (Charlene) and family; Tim Stidham and family, Tom Dowling (Helen) and family; Steve Dowling (Kim) and family; and aunt Terry Gage (Blake) and family.  

There will be a casual gathering of friends to celebrate Troy’s life on January 29, 2023 at Theatre Arlington, located at 305 W. Main Street, Arlington, Texas. The visitation will be from 2:30pm to 4 pm.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in his name to Theatre Arlington, info@theatrearlingtron.org or Arlington Animal Services, www.arlingtontx.gov. Troy loved his furry family very much, including Ranger, Dizzy, Baby, Doatsie May and Winter.