2023. Born on April 24, 1942 in Pawtucket, RI; he was the son of Thomas and Grace Sanford
and brother to five siblings; Thomas Jr., Bob, Ray, Billy, and Kathy. In 1963 he met the love of
his life, Gloria, and they married in 1964. Through 59 years of marriage, they lived and loved
and raised three children; Christine, John Jr., and Mark. They enjoyed watching their family
grow two more generations, with five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. On any given
night, he could be found at home watching old westerns. He enjoyed listening to good music
and could name any band from years past while making up his own song lyrics to any tune to
keep you laughing. He was an avid sports fan, even if he was never sure which team he was
rooting for at the moment. He was sure to be the most devoted fan to whoever was winning or,
in the case of baseball, whatever team Roger Clemens was playing for. His stories of traveling
to his favorite places, Jackson Hole and New Hampshire, will certainly be remembered and will
be a tradition carried on. His life was full of personal and professional accomplishments, but
nothing was more important than his family. With video camera in hand, he created family
movies that will be treasured for years to come. Not only did he stand behind the camera, he
was the man who created moments of holiday magic that have allowed his grandchildren to
never forget what true spirit and love looks like. To say that he will be missed is an
understatement. This world will not be the same without his love, crazy sense of humor, endless
one-liners, and stories on repeat. His faith assured him that he will be in God's memory and that
one day he will be with his wife and family again.
Services will be held at the Colchester Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses on Saturday,
November 25, 2023 at 2:00pm. Following the talk, the family will host a reception at the Bozrah
Volunteer Fire Company Hall.
Colchester Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
297 Westchester Road
Colchester CT 06415
For those unable to attend in person:
Join the memorial talk by Zoom:
meeting ID 829 3010 1975
passcode 632299
Bozrah Volunteer Fire Company
239 Fitchville Road
Bozrah CT 063
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