Brenda Kay Sanford

We mournfully announce the death of Brenda K Dean Sanford on Friday, September 26, 2025, due to a long illness. Brenda was born on July 12, 1952 in Parsons, KS to Edmund A. Dean and Maxine Larsen Dean during a time when neighborhoods were a village. Brenda grew up always wanting to have a career when careers for women were limited. She was able to start a career in law enforcement while in college in Pittsburg, KS in 1974 and was one of the first female police officers in the Midwest and loved this career. She was able to work in Communications, Organized Crime, Narcotics, Fugitives, Sex Crimes, as a Polygraph Examiner, Patrol and Internal Affairs during her 25-year career. In addition to working for Pittsburg, KS, she worked for the State of Kansas, Platte County Sheriffs' Office, Platte County, MO and the Kansas City Police Department, MO. She was a graduate of the FBI National Academy 133rd in Quantico, VA for executive policing. She taught police policies at Missouri University, School of Law during her off-duty time on KCPD. And, worked for the Kansas City Chiefs NFL football team which was her favorite assignment for 12 years.

Upon her retirement from law enforcement, she started designing and selling products on eBay, Amazon, Walmart and her website under her own Trademark brand company name, The Crabby Nook, for an additional 25 years.

Brenda married Wayne Sanford in 1980, and they had one son, Jeff, two grandchildren, Katelynn Archer and Brayden Daniels. Brenda was preceded in death by her parents, Fred Gaiser (step-father) and Duke Gaiser (step-brother).

Services will be held privately by the family. Please share memories and condolences on the White Chapel Funeral Home website.