Born: 18 Apr 1954, Wake County, North
Carolina Died: 21 Sep 1997, Johnston Co, NC
Tony Francis Sanford was the son of Kenny Mack Sanford.
Tony was born 18 Apr 1954 in Wake County, NC.
Children of Kenny Mack Sanford
Name
Birth
Death
Spouse
Tony Francis
Sanford
18 Apr 1854
Wake Co, NC
21 Sep 1997
Johnston Co, NC
(Never Married)
Curtis Wayne Sanford
10 Oct 1959
Wake Co, NC
This particular genealogy webpage I've created
is for my college friend, Tony Francis Sanford. Tony was
one of (my wife &) my closest friends during my Sophomore year
at Appalachian State University 1972-1973 - and Tony's Freshman
year there. Tony never married and died at the age of 43.
With no children, it would be easy for "time" to forget him and
I didn't want that to happen. This page is a tribute to
him.
Carolyn (Carolyn Weeks Loftin) was the first from our group to
meet Tony. She saw him in the cafeteria and he was wearing
a cross. She went up to him and said, "Do you know Jesus?"
He did - and a friendship was born.
There was a Charismatic Bible Study meeting on the Appalachian
State University campus in the annex of the Episcopal Church
that was led by three ASU students - one of whom was Gary Cuccio.
Carolyn had been invited to the Bible study by a dorm friend,
Sarah Loftin (later Cuccio), so she came and brought Tony with
her. I was at the Bible study, too, since I had been
attending it for a few weeks already myself. Sarah and I had met
a few week before and were surprised that we shared the same
last name - even though we knew of no known relation.
Sarah introduced me to Carolyn and Tony. I invited them to
join me after the study for a snack at the BI (Bavarian Inn).
The BI was a fast-food type restaurant that was located below
the ASU cafeteria. They accepted the invitation, and
additional friendships were born.
After that initial meeting, Tony and I got together often.
Every time we did, Tony invited Carolyn, too. I guess God
used Tony in helping Carolyn and me get together.
Unfortunately, that meeting was during the latter half of the
1972-1973 year and Tony felt that the Lord was leading him to
attend Campbell Bible College in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
Because of Tony's short height, we sometimes jestfully called
him "Little Tony". He even started sighning his letters to
with with a little "t".
30 January 1974
1- 30 74
Dear Carolyn,
Glory! Isn't JESUS wonderful!
He really keeps me "floating". Can hardly wait to see you.
I'm looking so forward too our week of fellowship. Isn't
HE Great. I just wish you were here (near) to me - all
these fantastic Christian people. I love them all but none
of them can take the place of the 3 of you. PTL! (Praise
the Lord!) God love and you!!! Isn't that great!!
Please write more often. I know you have time. Just
write me when you're studying the Bible and write me notes on
the thing(s) you're studying. I know it has to be good.
Got to go but will write again real soon. Love you through
Him! P.T.L.! (Praise The Lord!) Write!
Love thru No. 1
Little T.
11 February 1974
Monday afternoon
2 - 11 - 74
Brothers and Sisters,
God bless all of you as he has me.
I love you all and long to be with you. The Lord has
really blessed me like never before. Every day grows
sweeter as I fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray
that all of you are doing alright. Each of your letters
blessed me so much (especially yours, Carolyn). Just
think, it's not but a little better than 3 weeks now and I'm
sure they will go fast. You all be sure and try to keep me
informed. I know that exams will be coming up next week
for ya'll (y'all) but I'm sure ya'll can find time to drop me a
line or two. Our mid-terms start the week after yours are
over so I may even get slack a little - but don't worry, I will
surely keep writing. (While I'm thinking about it, would someone
please send me all of your school phone #'s).
The Lord has been very good to me so far this week and
I can hardly wait to see what's coming next. Well I will
start with the best first. Last night at our meeting in
Buies Creek Chapel (that's what we call our church), the Lord
spoke to us twice through somebody. It was in tongues and
then 2 different people interpreted the 2 different messages.
One of them was that He wanted us to raise our Voices and sing
praise to Him. Well I started speaking in tongues like
hundreds of time(s) before but it was a different language than
I had ever heard before. Then I began to sing in the
language and it wasn't my voice at all. It was the most
beautiful song and language I've ever heard. PTL!
Isn't He absolutely wonderful. I have learned new songs
that ya'll are going to absolutely love. I've been playing
my "Godspell" Tape almost all day and the Lord is really
blessing me through the ministry it has in it. I hope to
see the movie sometime soon.
Now for the 2nd way the Lord blessed me yesterday.
Well last week the Lord revealed to me that he wanted me to
learn to play the guitar. Well I thought to myself, well
Lord if that's what You want, Okay. But I didn't ask the
Lord for a guitar because I figured He would provide if He rally
wanted me to learn to play. Sunday Kelly (a friend of
Gingers) was at the house and happened to mention that she was
trying to sell her guitar. Well guess who almost passed
out?
I had not mentioned one word about a guitar to anybody.
Well I asked my mother if she'd buy it for me. She did and
now I have a new guitar because Kelly had one used it about 4
times. PTL!
He Makes Me So Happy!!
Jesus # 1 in Love
"the beginning and the end"
PTL!!! (Praise The Lord) PG!!! (Praise God)
Monday night
We didn't have choir practice tonight
because of some ballgames. Maybe I'll be able to catch up
with some school work I'm behind in. I'll probably end up
going to see a Brother though. Well I've got to go anyway.
I'll probably write again this week anyway. Write.
God bless ya'll and I'll see ya soon.
Love through Jesus,
Tony
"t"
"Bless the LOrd, Oh my soul; and all that is within me Bless His
Holy Name!" Psalms 103:1
Learn these words by the time I get down there because it's a
new song.
Campbell College Yearbook
1974
06 March 1974
March 6, 1974
Wed. afternoon
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
I don't know when you will get this but
I hope it's before we get there. The Lord is still
blessing me here and I keep remembering that it's only 3 more
days before I get there. I guess we will get there Sat.
night. Me and Barry both are looking forward to our
vacation. I pray that the Lord will give us as pretty a
week next week as this one has been. We've been ranging
from 75° - 85° all week and I love every bit of it.
I can't think of too much to say except that I can hardly wait
for the weekend. You will all love Barry, I just wish I
could bring all of them. PTL!!! Well I must go but
I'll see you real soon. God bless you all and I love you
all.
Love,
Tony
Tony and his friend Barry visit ASU in the March of 1974
(Top to Bottom) Barry, Bill Shearin and Tony post for a photo
atop Howard's Knobb in Boone, NC
while Curtis takes a photo
04 June 1974
During this particular time, Carolyn (Weeks) and Ann (Hamilton)
were rooming together for summer school.
Tuesday Night
June 4, 1974
Sis,
I was really excited about getting your
letter today. I can't imagine how you ever got the idea of
me being mad at you but don't mention any forgiving because
there's no (none) to do. Please lets don't lose contact
anymore. I know that its my fault tough because I haven't
been writing. Another thing, in your next letter please
let me know how I can get in touch with Curtis (his address).
The postcard was absolutely beautiful. The more
time passes the sooner it seems it will be before He comes
again. PTL! Bill Shearin might be coming to spend
next weekend with me. There's a new coffee house opening
in Sanford that weekend and I want to take him there. A
very good friend of mine from Campbell is running it.
(Really the Lord is running it!) PTL!!! Our group will be
singing there on the 22nd of June at 8:00 P.M. I'm really
looking forward to it. If ya'll get a chance to come
visit, please do. Just please let me know so I can be sure
to be here.
I got my picture back from our trip to the beach.
They are so good. I must have had help taking those
pictures because they were all so good. Our fellowship up
here should start again this week since summer school is
starting. I mill all of you so much. Hi! Ann: will
write as soon as possible. Write soon.
Because He died for us
Tony
P.S. I really though y'all were coming down when I got
that computer date. Ha! Ha!
With Peace, Love, Joy - JESUS
Tell everyone I said Hi! Is Ann's address the same.
A Little Nudge
Tony and Ann (Hamilton) both liked each other, but neither
seemed particularly skilled in moving forward into a romantic
relationship, so Curtis and Carolyn decided to give them a
little "nudge".
This is what Ann had to say ...
"When checking my mail one day, I was delighted to find Tony had
sent me a letter. However, I was totally befuddled by what
he had to say. He was thanking me for my recent
correspondence but he was confused by what I meant. Now
while Carolyn and Curtis were mischief makers with full
abandonment, neither of them could keep a straight face when
confronted. After they found out I had received the letter
from Tony and that I was confused by his confusion - they fessed
up. Seems Curtis could have had a perfectly good life in
crime through forgery. He had written on a note ... "
Dear Tony,
?
Love,
Ann
Ann continues ...
"Carolyn then sprayed the note with her best perfume. Then
they mailed the letter to Tony. Obviously Curtis had
copied my handwriting so well, Tony had no clue what they had
done. The story ended well though. Curtis & Carolyn
continued in good health and with their friend intact.
And, Tony and I enjoyed dating for a year or so. However,
one question may always go unanswered. Did Tony and I
start dating because we liked each other or did we start dating
to protect ourselves from them? I will always suspect the
truth lies somewhere in the middle!"
Tony, Curtis, Ann and Carolyn spend the afternoon at Pullen Park
in Raleigh, NC
24 October 1974
Oct 21, 1974
Curtis,
Hope the Lord has been blessing you as
He has been blessing me. He has truly been blessing me
with Ann. I really think I love her but I don't want to
scare her to death. I'm so awfully glad you and Carolyn
are doing so well. I sorta figured ya'll would end up
together anyway. PTL! (Praise the Lord!) I just hope
God will continue to bless your relationship. Good luck
with your job there in Boone when you graduate. Does Bill
make a good roommate? I guess that's a dumb question
though I'm sure he does.
I'm looking so forward to going up there this Spring.
I miss all of you so badly. I love you all and look
forward to the time we are reunited as Christian Brothers.
Tony
P.S. Make Ann behave?
04 November 1974
Curtis,
Sorry it has taken so long to rewrite
but is really been rough. I'm the vice-President of Iner-Varsity
Christian Fellowship and the President's got the flu and
strep-throat, so I'm awfully busy between test and I.V.
This past weekend has really been fantastic. I'm
sure you already know but me and Ann are now going stady.
She's really such a beautiful person. The BSU (Baptist
Student Union) conference was really great, too. It really
drew me closer to God and to Ann. Maybe you and Bill can
attempt to go this coming Spring. Please try!!
How are things at ASU? How about at the school?
Tell Bill I said hello. I sure do miss you brother and I
long to see you again. I thank God so often for the
friendship and brotherly love you gave me and how much a part of
you that it has become. I guess God is having to teach me
that our love and fellowship has to be shared with all people.
PTL!! I wish so greatly that you could come down to
Campbell and meet all my friends. I use to talk about
ya'll all the time but you soon learn that when you're at
another school it is exactly not too good to talk about another
school. I pray that God is continuing to bless and carry
you along in His holy will. PTL!!
Thank you ver much for your last letter it means very
much to me and thanks so much for the advise. I love you
brother and look forward to the day that our fellowship is
reunited. God bless you and I love you very much.
Because of a love
greater than ours,
"tony"
P.S. Write Soon.
26 November 1974
Tues.
Nov. 26, 1974
Brother Curtis,
Sorry it has taken me so awfully long
to return your letter, but things have really been a hassle.
At the end of the semester the teachers around here really start
to get excited and try to get all the books wrapped up and
finished because they are a little behind. I have already
been given two of my exams which are take-homes and my exams
start a week after Thanksgiving holidays. Well, that's
enough of bad news.
Things have really been great because the Lord has
really been blessing me. Week before last I recommitted my
self to Him because I hadn't been spending enough time with Him
and in His word. I have started working with Barry in a
small church near Coats. It's a small country church with
some really neat people. They don't have a music director
so Barry and I will be working them them some. It's really
good for Barry and it seems good to see him happy and working
again. He hasn't been nearly as moody as he usually is.
It really seems good for him to be smiling and laughing.
Thank you so much for the last letter; it was really
very beautiful and made me feel so good. I do miss all of
you so much. I really like the card also; the little
Indian on the front was really cute.
Since you probably won't get this letter until after
Thanksgiving, I hope you have had a very good holiday.
Tell your parents I said hello and that I hope to see them
again. sometime. Also tell the Wessells that I said hello.
Love and miss you. Write soon. How are your
kids? I keep hearing about all the snow ya'll keep getting
up there in Boone. Lucky! Lucky!!
Because He's alive
Tony
27 March 1975
This particular letter included not only a letter from Tony, but
also a letter from his friend, Barry.
March 27, 1975
Dear Curtis,
Thank you so much for the card, you'll
never know just how much it meant to me. I'm sorry that I
haven't answered earlier, but I was waiting on Youth Corps.
Yesterday I got a letter telling me that they could not fund me,
so I will probably be able to go up for the wedding. I'm
really looking forward to that time. I will be in touch
with you as soon as possible, I praise God that the two of
you will become one in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Curtis, I would very much like to express my concern
for your father. Always remember that there are many
prayers going up for him here at Campbell. I don't think
you can possibly realize what he means to me. Please let
him know that my prayers and love are being sent to him.
Please let Sam know that I'm praying for her (Willie) also and
that the Lord's strength will be with her. I also pray for
you, too, Curtis and that the strength God has for us will be
poured out on you.
The Lord has really been blessing me this past week. He has given
me a new commission here at Campbell. And it may determine
the pulling together of all teh Christians here on campus.
I feel that the Lord is giving me a place of leadership here as
the President of our Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship Chapter.
I see it as an opening to get involved in pulling BSU and IVCF
together. God is really working with us. Next
weekingd I will be going on a BSU outreach team and I'm really
looking forward to it. We are having a worship emphasis
weekend in our church and I'm in charge of it and God is already
starting to work with me. Please pray that I will be able
to be an instrument fo God and not let any of myself get into
it.
Please tell Bill that I will write him as soon as I get
a chance. I have two term papers (almost) due next week so
I'm going to be pretty busy. Please don't think I have
forgotten about all of you up there. I miss all of your
fellowship and the communion of Christ's body that we all had
while we were together. I praise God for your growth in
Him. He had stopped my growth in the area of personal
growth to Him and had me using all I had for others and now that
I'm using it, I feel slightly drained but he is filling me up
again and more than ever. I love Jesus so much and I know
all of you do, too.
Please pray for me and I certainly will for all of you.
I love you through the love Christ manifests in me. Your
father is at the top of my prayer list as well as many others
here at Campbell.
Love because of His
glorious resurrection
Tony
P.S. I pray that this Easter will be a most blessed and
meaningful one for you. He is truly rise.
Dear Curtis,
Man I am really happy for you and
Carolyn. Husband and wife teams sound "scary" to me but I
know you will be happy in your new role. I would like to
write more to you but I have this problem of being to self
centered. I really admire (you). This step you are
taking is Holy - interlocking. I wish you the best and
pray that you will continue to be on God's side for He's the one
who holds the real key to love. Take care. I want to
see you again sometime.
Love in Christ
Barry
Tony's friends Curtis Loftin and Carolyn Weeks got married on 07
Jun 1975 in Catawba, NC, and Tony was there for the weekend - as
was Ann Hamilton, Bill Shearin and Bill Mitchell.
Carolyn carried 3 long-stemmed yellow roses, but the morning of
the wedding the guys went out into the nearby fields and picked
wild flowers to put in the church - including Queen Anne's Lace.
Several hours before the wedding, Tony followed Curtis around
with an update about how much time was left until the wedding.
He'd look at Curtis and say, "3 hours". A little later
he'd say, "2 hours and thirty minutes", followed by "2 hours",
"an hour and a half", "an hour", etc. Tony was really
enjoying himself while all the while making Curtis more and more
nervous.
Curtis and Carolyn Weeks Loftin with Rev. Bobby Lee Taylor
Everyone went back over to Curtis' parent's
house after the wedding for the reception.
Tony and Ann with Eric & Crystal Loftin (Curtis' nephew and
niece)
A "poor quality" video of Tony from 1976
that was converted
from 8mm to VHS to DVD and finally to digital - but it's still
Tony
Tony died on 21 Sep 1997 in Johnston County, NC, from cancer, at
the age of 43. His body was cremated.