Obituary for Thomas "Tom" L. Sanford
Tom L. Sanford, age 99, of Mapleton, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, May 29, 2018, at the Burgess Health Center of Onawa, Iowa.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 2, 2018 at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Mapleton, Iowa. Father Richard D. Ball will officiate; with Committal Services following in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery of Mapleton, Iowa. Military Rites will be conducted by the Loren Hollister Post #496 of the American Legion of Mapleton, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a Rosary Service at 5:00 p.m. and a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 1, 2018 at the Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home of Mapleton, Iowa. The Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home Mapleton, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online www.armstrongfuneral.com.
Thomas “Tom” Lester Sanford, the son of Dennis and Rose (Devine) Sanford, was born on June 24, 1918, in rural Mapleton, IA. Tom was raised in Mapleton and graduated from Mapleton High School with the class of 1937. After graduation, Tom began working as a farm hand.
In 1940, Tom met the love of his life Elsie Steinbach in Danbury when they went on a drive in his 1931 model A coupe. In the words of Tom, “I asked her if she wanted to go for a drive, she said yes and she got in and never got out”. In 1941, Tom was drafted into the U.S. Army in Fort Crook, NE. Prior to his deployment overseas, he proposed to Elsie and the couple was united in marriage on January 15, 1944 in Harrisburg, PA. Tom served in the 5th Armored Division in Headquarters Company of the 15th Armor Infantry Division during WWII. They landed on Utah Beach on July 24th and Tom and his unit fought their way through France into Belgium, surviving the Battle of the Bulge and chased the Germans all the way home, back to Berlin. On August 22, 1945, Tom was honorably discharged from the service and returned home to Mapleton to be with his wife. The couple was blessed with 5 children: sons Jerry, Larry, Thomas, Robert and a daughter Alice.
Tom was employed by John Abraham as a wholesale grocery distributor, then for the City of Mapleton at the power plant and eventually spent the next 35 years working for Great Plains Gas of Mapleton until his retirement. Tom and Elsie enjoyed square dancing and taking family camping trips while their children were growing up. He could often be found gardening, working in his yard, tinkering in his garage, or driving his car around town. During their retirement, Tom enjoyed wintering in Arizona for years with Elsie. They also traveled to Alaska and New York.
Tom will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. At the age of 99 years, 11 months and 5 days, Tom was anxiously looking forward to his upcoming 100th birthday next month and joked about wanting to drive his great-grandson’s car for that milestone.
Left to cherish his memory are his children Jerry (Rosie) Sanford of Sioux City, IA, Larry (Tammy) Sanford of Bronson, IA; son-in-law Larry Kluver of Mapleton, IA; daughters-in-law Sharon L. Sanford of Las Vegas, NV, Sharon R. Sanford of Sioux City, IA, and Ruth Hintz of Boise, ID; 18 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Tom was preceded in death by his loving wife of 74 years Elsie (January 2018), his parents Dennis and Rose Sanford; sons Robert Sanford and Thomas Sanford; daughter Alice Kluver; granddaughter Michelle Lara, 4 brothers and 1 sister.
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A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 2, 2018 at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Mapleton, Iowa. Father Richard D. Ball will officiate; with Committal Services following in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery of Mapleton, Iowa. Military Rites will be conducted by the Loren Hollister Post #496 of the American Legion of Mapleton, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a Rosary Service at 5:00 p.m. and a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 1, 2018 at the Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home of Mapleton, Iowa. The Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home Mapleton, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online www.armstrongfuneral.com.
Thomas “Tom” Lester Sanford, the son of Dennis and Rose (Devine) Sanford, was born on June 24, 1918, in rural Mapleton, IA. Tom was raised in Mapleton and graduated from Mapleton High School with the class of 1937. After graduation, Tom began working as a farm hand.
In 1940, Tom met the love of his life Elsie Steinbach in Danbury when they went on a drive in his 1931 model A coupe. In the words of Tom, “I asked her if she wanted to go for a drive, she said yes and she got in and never got out”. In 1941, Tom was drafted into the U.S. Army in Fort Crook, NE. Prior to his deployment overseas, he proposed to Elsie and the couple was united in marriage on January 15, 1944 in Harrisburg, PA. Tom served in the 5th Armored Division in Headquarters Company of the 15th Armor Infantry Division during WWII. They landed on Utah Beach on July 24th and Tom and his unit fought their way through France into Belgium, surviving the Battle of the Bulge and chased the Germans all the way home, back to Berlin. On August 22, 1945, Tom was honorably discharged from the service and returned home to Mapleton to be with his wife. The couple was blessed with 5 children: sons Jerry, Larry, Thomas, Robert and a daughter Alice.
Tom was employed by John Abraham as a wholesale grocery distributor, then for the City of Mapleton at the power plant and eventually spent the next 35 years working for Great Plains Gas of Mapleton until his retirement. Tom and Elsie enjoyed square dancing and taking family camping trips while their children were growing up. He could often be found gardening, working in his yard, tinkering in his garage, or driving his car around town. During their retirement, Tom enjoyed wintering in Arizona for years with Elsie. They also traveled to Alaska and New York.
Tom will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. At the age of 99 years, 11 months and 5 days, Tom was anxiously looking forward to his upcoming 100th birthday next month and joked about wanting to drive his great-grandson’s car for that milestone.
Left to cherish his memory are his children Jerry (Rosie) Sanford of Sioux City, IA, Larry (Tammy) Sanford of Bronson, IA; son-in-law Larry Kluver of Mapleton, IA; daughters-in-law Sharon L. Sanford of Las Vegas, NV, Sharon R. Sanford of Sioux City, IA, and Ruth Hintz of Boise, ID; 18 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Tom was preceded in death by his loving wife of 74 years Elsie (January 2018), his parents Dennis and Rose Sanford; sons Robert Sanford and Thomas Sanford; daughter Alice Kluver; granddaughter Michelle Lara, 4 brothers and 1 sister.
Previous Events
Visitation
Friday
1
Jun
5:00 PM
- 7:00 PM
Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home - Mapleton
210 South 5th Street
Mapleton, IA 51034
Rosary Service at 5:00 p.m. Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m.
Funeral Service
Saturday
2
Jun
10:00 AM
St. Mary's Catholic Church Mapleton
201 N 8th Street
Mapleton, IA 51034
Cemetery Details
Location
St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
Mapleton, IA 51034
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