On the 8th of May 1925, Sallie Jo Sanford was born in her grandmother’s home in Greenville, Texas, to her parents, Robert Fulton and Annie Catherine Sanford. She spent most of her life in Houston, where she graduated from Jeff Davis High School and received her teacher’s certification at Southwest Texas State Teacher’s college in San Marcos. She was a dedicated teacher of Biology at Lanier Junior High and Lamar High School in Houston and took joy in seeing many of her former students with careers in medicine.
She met her cherished and loving husband, Melvin G. Campbell, in Houston. They married in 1947 and enjoyed 57 beautiful years together before he preceded her in death. Sallie was a wonderful wife, daughter, loving sister, most special aunt, great aunt, great-great aunt, treasured friend and mentor to so many through the years.
Sallie enjoyed traveling all over the world with Melvin and took delight in cooking, gardening and serving others with her gracious hospitality. She was devoted follower of Christ, always faithful to pray for others and her country she loved so dearly. She spent much of her time in service and volunteer work. She was a member of The Blue Bird Circle where she volunteered in many capacities to support Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Sallie and her husband were longtime members of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church where she was a member for 62 years. At her beloved church, Sallie was President of the Altar Guild, a faithful member of the Saintly Stitchers, a member of the Daughters of the King, and a docent for the church. In 1991, as a member of the Saintly Stitchers, Sallie and her husband contributed needlepoint ornaments for the Christmas Tree at the White House during the Presidency of President George H.W. Bush and First Lady, Barbara Bush.
Sallie is survived by her brother, Robert Sanford and his wife Lola, of Gunter, Texas; her two nieces, Nancy and Frank Hinckley, and Beverly and Rick Marr; and nephew, Doug Sanford and his wife Diann; her great-nieces and nephews, Taylor and Amanda Hinckley, John and Kate Hinckley, Scott Hinckley, Annie and Jonathan Houston, Brian and Sarah Marr, Brenda and Drew Bird, Catherine and Clay Coleman, Robert and Allison Sanford, Alison and Sean LeNeave, and Sallie Sanford; her cousins, Louann and Robert Lewis, Leighann, Andy and Courtney Bugg of Tyler, Texas. Sallie is also survived by 18 great-great nieces and andnephews, Camp, Cooper and Colt Marr, Knox and Caroline Hinckley, Jake and Norah Bird, Ford and Hannah Rose Hinckley, Lola, James and Dottie Houston, Fulton Sanford, Callie and Caleb Coleman, Liam, Harper and Mack LeNeave.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Sallie’s dear "Houston Family " including Annie and Doug Raburn, Wallie Womack, and Marie Fortenbach, as well as her devoted caregivers Nonye, Vickie, Chi Chi and the staff of Vitas Healthcare in Houston and Vitas Inpatient Hospice Unit in the Woodlands for their love and care for our precious Sallie.
A memorial service and celebration of her life is to be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 16th of September in the sanctuary of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson, Jr., Rector, will officiate.
Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent Bagby Parish Hall.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in her name be directed to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road, Houston, TX, 77056; to the BlueBird Circle, 615 W Alabama St., Houston, TX 77006; Or to the charity of one’s choice.
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