Wayne Oliver Stanford, Sr.

GILMER � Services for Wayne Oliver Stanford, Sr., 82, of Gilmer, will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at 2:00 P.M. at Grubbs-Loyd Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Othell Laferney officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park with military honors. Arrangements are under the direction of Grubbs-Loyd Funeral Home in Gilmer. Wayne O. Stanford went to be with his heavenly Father on November 1, 2014. He was born on December 23, 1931, in Marshall, Texas, to Joe Oliver and Ethel Stanford, the oldest of six children. Wayne served in the United States Army from 1949 to 1971 when he retired after twenty-one years of service. He retired from Ft. Wolters Army Base at Mineral Wells, Texas. He served in Guam, Japan, Newfoundland, Korea, Vietnam, Alaska, and Germany. After retiring from the Army, Wayne went to work for Etex Telephone Coop and retired in 1997. In addition to his parents, Mr. Stanford was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife of sixty years, Joy Stanford on February 3, 2013; a sister, Martha Johnson; and two sons-in-law, Mark Jobe and John Morgan. He is survived by two sons, Wayne O. Stanford, Jr. and wife, Linda of Copperas Cove and Billy J. Stanford of Endicott, New York; four daughters, Debra Morgan of Gladewater; Pam Kelly and husband, Don of Gilmer; Cindy Williams and husband, Bobby of Longview; Brenda Jobe of Gilmer; eleven grandchildren, Jeremy Wilkins, Dana Henson, Kim Mayhan, Joe Stanford, Ryan Kelly, Hunter Jobe, Zeth Stanford, Adam Stanford, Larry Morgan, Brandy Stanford, Kasia Kelly, Adam Williams, and Jennifer Best; twenty-three great-grandchildren; one brother, James Stanford of Haltom City; three sisters, Mae Scribner of Jacksonville, Florida; Lavada Johnson of Nevada, Texas; and Barbara Hill of Boyd, Texas; and his companion and friend, Joy's dog, "Teddy Bear." Pallbearers will be his eleven grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M. on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, at Grubbs-Loyd Funeral Home in Gilmer. Online condolences can be left at www.grubbsloydfhgilmer.com