Stanford, Nellie Alene 1915-1998

STANFORD, MCNEAL, JOHNSTON, WILLIAMS, RICE, TARVIN, NEWMAN, DAVIS, SORRELL, MARTINEZ, CLEMENTS, KIEFER, MEDINA, DODD, HILDEBRAND, FERGUSON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 9/17/2009 at 12:37:31

Montezuma (IA) Republican; April 1, 1998

NELLIE STANFORD, 82

Nellie Alene McNeal Johnston Stanford, 82, of Montezuma, died Friday, March 20, 1998 at the Montezuma Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

A funeral was Tuesday, March 24 at Watts Funeral Home in Montezuma with the Rev. John Darlington officiating. Accompanied by organist Kathleen Ramsey, Darrell Brand sang, "In the Garden," "The Church in the Wildwood" and "The Old Grey Mare."

Casket Bearers were Travis Johnston, Dan Bunnell, Tom Stanford, Grant Ferguson, Chris Stanford and Jack Dodd.

Interment was in the Masonic-IOOF Cemetery in Montezuma.

Nellie was born July 31, 1915 in New Sharon, the daughter of Lee and Mary "Mamie" (Williams) McNeal. She attended Star School, Barnes City School and graduated from New Sharon High School in 1936.

On July 1, 1939, she was united in marriage with Robert James Johnston in Lancaster, Mo. To this union two daughters and one son were born. They lived on various farms near Montezuma. Robert died May 28, 1959.

On June 20, 1960, she was united in marriage with Ralph Stanford in Nashua. Ralph died May 8, 1974.

Nellie worked at the Montezuma Senior Home from 1975 until 1983. From 1984 until 1991, she worked at Dickie's Truck Stop near Malcom.

After becoming ill in 1994, she became a resident of Friendship Manor in Grinnell and in January 1998, she became a resident of Montezuma Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands, a brother, Virgil McNeal; a sister, Laverna Rice; a step-daughter-in-law, Nadine Stanford and a very special friend, Floyd Tarvin.

Nellie is survived by two daughters, Verna "Louise" Newman of Denver and Lynda and her husband, Dr. Robert Tarvin of Woodinville, Washington; a son, Robert Johnston and his wife, Gloria of Oskaloosa; a step-son, Ralph Stanford of Marshalltown; a step-daughter, Shirlene and her husband, Wilbur Davis of Newton, eight grandchildren, Stephani Newman, Michelle Sorrell and Kimberly Martinez, Bobbi Tarvin, Kerri Tarvin and Jodi Tarvin, Travis Johnston and Serene Johnston, five step-grandchildren, Tom Stanford, Pam Clements, Cathy Kiefer, Chris Standford and Rhonda Medina; six great-grandchildren, 10 step-great-grandchildren, two step-great-great-grandchildren, three sisters, Alvetta Dodd of Cedar Falls; Esther Hildebrand of Grinnell and Colleen Ferguson of New Sharon; three brothers, George McNeal of Palm Springs, Calif., Jim McNeal of Arizona and Don McNeal of Santa Cruz, Calif., nieces and nephews and other relatives and many friends.

Memorials may be made to the Montezuma Volunteer Fire Department.