Mary Lucille Sanford was born on October 31, 1940, and died November 28, 2024, at Paragould, Arkansas. Her birth parents were Orville and Flora Mae McIntosh . Mrs. Eulean (Mrs. Elmo) Crockett of Marmaduke opened her heart and foster home to the child Mary, and Mary considered Eulean her dear mother for the rest of her life. Mary was saved at a young age at New Home Baptist Church; in her later years she attended Marmaduke First Baptist Church faithfully when her health would allow.
Mary was no stranger to hard work; her later years found her as an OTR truck driver with her husband; upon that retirement, she drove a bus for the Senior Bees in Paragould for a time.
Those who pre-deceased Mary include her parent(s); one brother, Larry Mcintosh of St. Louis; as well as a baby boy who died in 1971.
Mary leaves behind her husband of 66 years, Rudy Lee Sanford of Marmaduke; three sisters, Jessie Tyra, Dorothy Taylor, and Joann Taylor all of Sikeston, Missouri; nieces, Laurie Tucker of Gideon, Missouri, and Teresa Page of Dexter; nephews Roger Taylor of Doniphan, and Robert Hazel of Sikeston, Missouri; and several great- nieces, and great- nephews; in-laws, Elmer Sanford, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Darlene Edwards of Villa Missouri, Joe and Martha Sanford of Mountain Home, Arkansas, Rheta Carroll of Marmaduke, Arkansas, and Wesley Sanford of Paragould, Arkansas.
A memorial service will be held at Marmaduke First Baptist Church with Bro. Kim Bridges officiating on Saturday, December 7th at 2:00p.m. visitation beginning at 1:30p.m. She will be interred at Harvey’s Chapel Cemetery beside her baby boy.