Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Services

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” ~ Helen Keller

Forthcoming funeral services are planned for the following friends from our community. Complete versions of these obituaries may be found in The Payson Chronicle and on our website at paysonchronicle.com.

Richard T. Sanford

Richard T. Sanford, 82, of Payson, passed away on March 25, 2017. Richard was born on June 5, 1934 in Payson, Utah to parents Mearl  J. Sanford and Gladys Marie Sanford.  He attended Payson  Schools through ninth grade then went to work before finishing high school.  However; he completed his GED  while in the military.  At the age of 15,Richard and his father started the first garbage collection company in Payson and later he worked at the mines in Eureka.

He joined the Army in 1956 attending the Ordinance Guided Missile School in Alabama, where he trained as a missile mechanic.   He was able to travel the world while in the Army.  He was stationed in Germany for some time but his duties took him all over Europe.

He began driving trucks in his early twenties and worked in the industry for 40 years.  In 1996 he retired from the Teamsters.  At that time he took off his watch and never put it back on!

Richard married the love of his life Esther Ella Martinez on January 1, 1963 in Wendover , Nevada. They were later sealed on November 17, 1984. Together they had 4 children; Tracy, Tony, Jobb, and Sarah.  He also had an older son, Curtis Wilcox.

His passions were his collection of old cars and numerous antiques. He liked to attend car shows to see other cars and show his own. He enjoyed learning about history and sought out good books to read. He didn’t like TV (Dum-Dum, as he called it!) but couldn’t turn down a good western.

Richard treasured family time, especially family trips. He loved spoiling his children and grandchildren and he especially loved babies. He loved his wife with all his heart and they enjoyed spending their retirement  traveling the states and wintering in Arizona.  Richard is survived by his children Curtis (Susan) Wilcox, Tracy Sanford, Jobb Sanford, and Sarah (Gregg) Beddoes, his 16 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.   He is also survived by 3 sisters, Merlene Daley, Sandra Camp, Nancy Greenaulgh.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife, parents, son, granddaughter and sister.

The family would especially like to thank their hospice nurse, Tammy Poulson, and Richard's doctor, Gale Skousen, for their personal and attentive care.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 12 pm  at the Walker Funeral Home in Payson, 587 South 100 West, Payson, Utah. A visitation will be held on Friday, March 31, 2017 from 6-8 pm  at the Walker Funeral Home in Payson. A visitation will also be held prior to service from 10:45-11:45 am . Interment will be at the Payson City Cemetery.

Condolences may be sent to www.walkerobits.com