

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.' ”
John 11:25-26
Obituary
Born on Sept. 11, 1935, Joseph Arnold Sanford was raised in Brim Creek, WA and attended Vader Elementary School where he met a girl that he initially teased and later fell in love with. Joe married Faye on Oct. 23, 1953 and they recently celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary together. They had 4 children, Joe(Cindy), Bill(Cindy), Kathy (Gary Blesie) and Mike (Shiela). They have 16 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild with another on the way. He left us on March 13th to join his daughter, Kathy, who proceeded him in death. Joe joined the Seattle Police Department in 1959 and retired as a Sergeant in 1991. Joe was then hired to develop the new Marshal's office for the Seattle Municipal Court system where he worked for an additional 6 years before finally retiring for good. Joe and Faye found a piece of property in Kingston, WA in 1985 and build their dream home on it in 1988.
In lieu of flowers, you can make a donation to the Shriner's Children's Hospital. Joe and Faye have supported this organization for decades. It was very near and dear to him. Website at https://lovetotherescue.org/
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I worked for and with him for years. Learned how to be a Policeman from Joe. I will miss him. Condolences to the Sanford family
🙏🙏🙏
Dan and Linda Stokke
Green Valley, AZ
While I was part of the family, he would drop by and invite me to go with him to Long Acres where he had some work to do. Then we would stop for some treat before he brought me home.
While Joe Jr. and I were students, he would drop by with a bag filled with groceries.
I remember him telling me about a new breed of horse in Britain that could distinguish red lights from green lights. In the retelling of it to my Dad, he guffawed and told me that animals cannot see color, something new to me at the time. Joe Sr. had a laugh when I told him what my Dad said.
He was a remarkable person with a keen sense of curiosity which served him well in his work with SPD.
My prayers are with all of his family who will dearly miss him.
Uncle Bud and aunt faye were my God parents . I can’t remember a time in my childhood or in my adult life that they weren’t there for me and my brothers and sisters, and in my adult life me and my kids.
Every important family function every time we had something important that we needed them, or if we just missed them and wanted to spend some time with them they were always there for all of us.
Uncle Bud and Faye walked me through two of the hardest most difficult times of my life… One of which was when I got colon cancer four years ago
Uncle Bud was my hero and he and Aunt Faye were the pillars of our whole extended family.
He always made everyone feel like he was their very favorite ❤️
He always tried, and succeeded in making the world a better place because he was in it
He will be deeply missed
I’m sure there is great rejoicing in heaven right now because he is home.
I’m sure Kathy and Bud are together catching up
Until we meet again, Uncle Bud , thank you for all the love that you poured into my life
I love you so much
Nita
(Juanita Sanford)
Joe and Faye willingly traveled to deliver homemade blackberry pies to family gatherings at Fort Flagler State Park. They were still warm. Best pies ever!
Thank you for being a part of my life and helping raise wonderful grandchildren. Love always, Ethel.
-Naomi
Aunt Faye and Uncle Bud are at the center of so many memories. It meant so much that they showed up to so many activities, including my wedding. It was also so fun when Uncle Bud would ensure Aunt Faye was there for the “girl activities” even when he was “just” a chauffeur. Uncle Bud has left so many lasting memories and passed down so many values.
We love you ❤️
He was forever a kid at heart and never took life too serious. He was always positive and never had a bad thing to say.
He passed on his knowledge and experience wherever he could. There was something in the way he did it that was truly special. I can’t imagine anyone speaking bad of him.
We played with GI Joes when I was really little. We went to livestock auctions, hunting and fishing, worked at the Christmas tree farm, went to all the sporting events, the first time I ever drove was while he loaded hay in the truck.
Later in life my dad (Bill) initiated him and I into freemasonry together. We went thru everything together and that’s something I doubt has been done before or since. He bent over backwards to help me out of some tough spots. He drove all the way to Shelton or Tacoma to see me when I couldn’t make the trip to him. Just because he wanted to see me.
Looking back, there are so many would’ve, could’ve and should’ve things. I miss him and I’ll spend the rest of my days trying to live up to his example.
I lived with Gramma and Grampa for a bit while I was working and going to school in my early 20’s. He had a mechanical singing fish that flapped and sang ‘Take me to the river’ if you pushed the button. Billy the Big-mouthed Bass. He thought it was the funniest thing in the whole world to stand outside my bedroom door at 0430, before the first ferry and wake me up with that dang fish. He was so ornery!
When my sister and I were little, going to Kingston was the greatest adventure. We loved the animals, bottle feeding the baby cows, and going to ‘Papa Joe’s’ restaurant where Grampa would load us with hot chocolate and syrupy Belgian waffles before sticking us on the ferry and sending us home. There wasn’t a hurt feeling or scrape or bruise Grampa couldn’t cure with a trip to get a treat.
I’ll always associate See’s Candies, maple bars and latte’s at 180 degrees with my grandfather. And hard work, integrity and grit.
He taught me that being present for people was one of the best gifts to give; he attended funerals, weddings, graduations, birthdays. He could always be counted on to be there, a box of chocolates tucked under his arm. He drove from all the way from Kingston to Lacey when I graduated my academy, belt buckle and suit jacket, smelling of his Stetson cologne and looking sharp. I’ll always remember the way he loved his people, his family.
I’m thankful for the many years I had as his granddaughter. It has been the utmost privilege to know him.
I can say with 100% honesty that he is the best man I have ever known.
Thank you, Grampa. You set the bar. There will never be another like you.

I have so many important and special memories with Grandpa Joe- one of the ones that stands out the most to me was a day we fished for trout out of his pond for the first time. We were down there for what felt like hours with no luck at catching any fish. I listened to his stories, he taught me how to tie a hook, and showed me how to enjoy the simple things in life. I remember just before we went back up to the house, Grandpa said “Last cast”. Of course, we got a bite. I remember reeling that big trout in and him saying “what a monster”. That was a very special day.
One more memory I am so grateful to have is more recently. Presley, my Daughter, got to meet her Great-Great-Grandpa Joe. I cannot wait to tell her all the stories he and I have together, and show her the pictures of her and him the first, and only time they met.

It was Thanksgiving in the 90s.
My parents were still married, and we went to the Sanford Thanksgiving dinner in Kingston.
Gramma and Grampa had forgotten to remove the Friskies cat treats from the dining table where the cats typically grazed when they wanted.
My mother was noshing on the appetizers and, unnoticed to anyone but Grampa Joe, had grabbed a handful of the Friskies treats.
She ate a few, and asked Grampa what they were.
He said "They're Salmon treats! You like them?"
She said "Yes, where did you get them, they're delicious?!"
He said "Well, I have the bag here, (grabbing the bag for her to see, and handing it to her), they're Friskies Salmon treats!"
My mother was horrified.
We all still laugh about it...
I will always miss that sense of humor...
Stacie Sanford
It was the best milkshake I ever had.
Before that I only liked chocolate but he said strawberry was way better so I tried it.
He always made me laugh, and told funny jokes.
He also bought marshmallow peeps, even though Mom said they were gross.
I fought over them with Tori, my Auntie, and neither of us won! Because we fought we weren't allowed to eat them.
He also always took us to Mexican food and I still love bean burritos cause of Great Grampa Joe.
He took time at my 2nd cousin Josh's wedding to talk to me and joke around. He gave me his gift bag, too.
I miss Grampa Joe!
"The Lexman"

When I was 5 or 6 years old, my Auntie and Uncle had a birthday party for either their daughter or one of the cousins at their house. All the kids received flashlights. I got a purple one, because purple was my favorite.
Us kids watched a movie, and I recall one of my cousins' cousins chewed up her flashlight, and I told her not to do that because she was ruining it.
I had to use the bathroom and when I came back to the room where the movie was playing, she had replaced my flashlight with her chewed up one.
I became incensed...I screamed and pitched a huge fit. Not a single person believed me when I said she had chewed it and swapped them when I was using the restroom.
Grampa Joe believed me.
The next day, I came home from school and there was a stuffed mouse on the half-wall inside the door by the answering machine.
It was grey and had a candy cane and scarf.
The phone rang about 10 minutes after I got home, and it was Grampa Joe. He asked me if Patience was there. I was confused and asked who that was. He said "Patience the Mouse" came to be my friend and teach me patience and tolerance, even when people are mean to me.
I said there is a mouse here, but didn't know it's name. He said "That's Patience the Mouse, and he is there to help you be patient with those who do you wrong."
I had that stuffed animal until my youngest son threw up on it...and I never forgot how Grampa Joe was the only person who believed me about what happened.
The man was an angel among humans, and always knew truth from fabrication.
He knew other times I was unjustly treated by people, and always knew the truth without being told.
As a little girl, all I ever wanted was to marry a man like him.
No man ever measured up, but one came close!
He will be missed to the moon and back.
Stacie Jo
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9900 NE Shorty Campbell Rd, Kingston, WA. 98346