Jack George Sanford Sr.

Jack George Sanford Sr., an electrical engineer and resident of Columbus, Kan., died Aug. 18. He was 86.

Born July 16, 1924, in Columbus, Kan. he was the son of Burl and Lela Mae (Rumery) Sanford.

He attended schools in Mt. Hope, Kan.; Cottonwood Falls, Kan., Baxter Springs, Kan., and was a 1942 graduate of Columbus High School. He later received bachelor's and master's degrees from Golden Gate University, San Francisco.

After high school, Jack worked for a brief time for WIBW in Topeka, Kan.

Sanford served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 in the Seventh Armored Division, and was a part of the historic Battle of the Bulge. He served as president of “The Lucky Seventh” from 2003 through 2006.

Sanford was an electrical engineer, working for UC Berkeley and LLNL. He later worked as a video engineer with Cohu Electronics, TriTronics, and at Vindicator Corp. He obtained several patents.

While living in California, he was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Saratoga and was currently a member of the First United Methodist Church of Columbus. He was active in the choir at both churches and also at the non-denominational worship services of Valle de Oro Senior Resort, Mesa, Ariz. He also was a member of the Columbus American Legion Post #3 and the 7th Armored Division Association.

He married Brigitta Hansch on Aug. 23, 1952 in Berkeley, California; she preceded him in death on June 30, 1984. He then married Elizabeth (Bradney) Gleason on April 15, 1989 in Columbus, Kan.

Sanford is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; two sons, Jack George Sanford Jr. and his wife Patti of Reno, Nev., Charles Kenneth Sanford and wife Jennifer of Tempe, Ariz.; step-daughter, Cheryl Gleason of Topeka, Kan.; step-sons, Brad Gleason and wife Cindy of Columbus, Kan., Brent Gleason and wife Terra of Carl Junction, Mo.; his sister, Beverly White of St. Louis, Mo; 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife and his brother Robert Sanford.

Funeral services, with full military honors, were held Aug. 24 in Columbus, Kan. Burial will take place Aug. 28 in Saratoga, Calif.

Condolences can be sent to the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home Website.

Memorial contributions in Sanford's name may be made to the Columbus First United Methodist Church or to the Parkinson's Association; contributions may be sent to the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, 611 S. East Ave., Columbus, KS 66725.