Church Point, La. John Stanford, 66, a life long resident of the Church Point area, died unexpectedly on Friday, June 3, 2011.The funeral mass will be celebrated at 2:00 P.M. Monday, June 6 by Monsignor Jefferson J. DeBlanc at our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point with burial immediately after in the St. John Cemetery in Lewisburg, La.
The family requested that visiting hours be observed from 11:00 A.M. until10:00 P.M. on Sunday, June 5 and continue from 8:00 A.M. Monday until the time of the services. A recitation of the Rosary will be held at 7:00 P.M. on Sunday by Monsignor DeBlanc.
Pallbearers will be Jonathon and Darryl Stanford, Andy Byrd, Neal Griffin, John Bush, and Lonnie "Brud " Richard, Jr. Honorary pallbearers will be Isaac "Ike" and Brock Stanford and Nicholas Griffin.
John is survived by his wife of forty-four years (married April 8, 1967), Barbara Nell Venable and a son, Jonathon Stanford and wife Amy and a daughter Dana Stanford-all of Church Point; a daughter, Shannon Griffin and husband Neal of Arlington, Tex.; a daughter, Kristie Byrd and husband Andy of The Woodlands, Tex. and ten grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Isaac Stanford and Ovina "Vina" (Guidry) Wimberly; several stepbrothers and a stepsister.
Mr. Stanford was a 1967 honor graduate of USL with degrees in Economics and Mechanical Engineering. A seventh generation farmer and more recently an arborist and licensed landscape contractor, he was a member of the Farm Bureau and Acadia Parish Drainage Board and owner of Stanford Farms and Stanford Land Services in Church Point. Mr. Stanford was one of the first farmers to introduce sugar cane farming in Acadia Parish and pursue the farming of corn commercially.