Mother Mildred Bernice (Lewis) Stanford was born on December 12, 1908, to Fred and Melissa (Logan) Lewis in Lawrence, Kansas. She attended Lawrence city schools and later moved to Topeka, Kansas. In 1928, she married Oscar Knolting who later passed away. In 1934, she married Russell Stanford. In 1972, she moved to Lompoc, CA with her daughter (Iona) and Son-in-law (Lifford).

Mother Stanford loved the Lord and her extended family. She leaves a loving extended family to cherish her memory, including her daughters: Barbara Johnson; Iona Blount and her husband, Lifford; Shernice Herring and her husband, Willie; and her son Albert Stanford. She cherished them all.

Mother Stanford leaves a lifeline of four (4) Children, twenty (20) Grand Children, twenty-seven (27) Great-Grand Children, twenty-four (24) Great-Great Grand Children, four (4) Great-Great-Great Grand Children, and numerous Cousins, Nieces, and Nephews.

Mother Stanford also loved her Church family and valued her friends. She was a dedicated and faithful member of Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church. Her special ministry was the Mother Board, but she would answer the call wherever there was a need. As a Church mother, Sister Stanford was never reluctant to give her advice to the younger women, men, and all she believed that needed her counsel. She was an honorary member of club Arcturus where she assisted in many civic projects.

Mother Stanford also leaves many dear friends, whom she loved and who loved her throughout her life. Even those individuals, whom she knew by association with others, remember her sweet sincerity and genuine care for people. She rarely met a stranger, and when she did, they did not remain a stranger. She was a beautician by trade who dreamed of being an airline stewardess.

She passed away Monday, December 21, 2009 at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara.

Mother Stanford was preceded in death by her mother and father, one brother (Fred Lewis, Jr.), two sisters (Geneva Grimes) and (Josephine Bell), one daughter (Eva Blackwell), and her husband (Russell Stanford).

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church, 925 North F St., Lompoc, with Rev. Ronald L. Wiley of Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church officiating. Burial will follow at the Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery.

Visitation hours will be Monday, December 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Starbuck-Lind Mortuary, 123 North A St. in Lompoc.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 201 South H. Street, Lompoc, CA 93436.