John Stanford Obituary

John "Richard" Stanford GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL - John "Richard" Stanford 70, passed away on Friday, March 25, 2011, at Life Care Center of Orange Park, FL. He was born on August 23, 1940, in Tampa, FL, to Ewell Otis and Jean Anderson Stanford. He grew up in Tampa and graduated from Plant High School. He attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Tampa in Florida and a Master of Divinity degree from Columbia Seminary in Decatur, GA. Richard served Tampa and Clearwater as a Florida probation and parole officer with adult offenders. He was also an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), serving churches in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. He served as president of the South Florida Amateur Radio Club and was a member and officer of the Atlanta Writers Club. Richard's hobbies included ham radio, photography, blues harmonica, guitar and recumbent bike riding. He was also a trained tenor and enjoyed camping, hiking, woodworking and writing. Survivors include Richard's wife of 46 years, Emma Weiman Stanford of Green Cove Springs, FL; children, Katherine "Kathy" Ellen Stanford of Celina, TX and Marjorie "Margie" Emma Stanford Thompson of Green Cove Springs; grandchildren, Patricia Ellen Thompson Betterton, Rachel Nicole Thompson and Emma Elyse Thompson, all of Green Cove Springs; brothers, Bill Stanford and Charles Stanford; sister, Jeanie Stanford Smith; nephews, Robert Stanford, Matthew Stanford, Jamie Cornelius and Justin Cornelius; and nieces, Shannon Weiman and Lindsay Weiman. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 11:00 a.m., at First Presbyterian Church, 300 Gum Street, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 and on Saturday, May 21, 2011, at 1:00 p.m., at Hillside Presbyterian Church, 1879 Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Interment will be at Myrtle Hill Cemetery Mausoleum in Tampa, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ALS Association Florida Chapter, 3242 Parkside Center Circle, Tampa, FL 33619 (designate "Restricted Research") The family would like to give special thanks to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, and the Life Care Center of Orange Park. Arrangements are entrusted to AARON AND BURNEY BIVENS FUNERAL HOME, 529 Kingsley Avenue Orange Park, FL 32073 (904) 264-1233. Visit our guestbook at www.postandcourier.com/ deaths