LEWISTON — Richard Tapley Sanford went home to be with the Lord on Oct. 31.

He was born in Lewiston, Dec. 9, 1937, the son of Ralph and Eva Sanford. He married his wife, Thelma, June 24, 1967. He attended local schools in Greene then graduated from Edward Little High School in 1956.

His first job after high school was as a meat cutter for a supermarket chain and for Bubier Meats of Greene. Then he worked for Bates Manufacturing for awhile plus other odd jobs before becoming a Lewiston firefighter. He retired in 1994.

Firefighting was his passion. He was only 15 years old when he joined the newly formed Greene Volunteer Fire Department in the mid 1950s.

After working part time for people in the business in the early 1970s, he started his own construction business, Sanford & Sons Construction Co. He sold his construction company to his son, Shawn, in 1988. He was, also, very involved with his home town of Greene. He served on the budget committee, the planning board, conservation committee, the appeals board, the solid waste committee and the committee for the new addition of the Julia Morse Library.

In 2003, he had a serious head injury and a 5-bypass open-heart surgery. After being rehabbed, he struggled to work. His work ethics after the head injury were to be admired. The last years of his life were enjoyed using his bulldozer and backhoe. He continued to be active until December 2009, when he was injured when his garage caught fire and burned down.

He is survived by his wife, Thelma; children, Sandra Horton and her husband, Rick, of Rittman, Ohio, Bruce and his wife, Mary, of Greene, James and his wife, Beth, of Windham; Michael and his wife Tammy of Baileyville, Stormi Lacroix-Sanford of Greene and Shawn of Greene; 10 grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his parents; and his brother, Daniel.

The family would like to thank d’Youville Nursing Home and its staff on 3-East for the care they gave to him in the last years of his life; also, to Beacon Hospice Inc. and staff for their care in the last few months. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.finleyfuneralhome.com.

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