Mary Elizabeth Sanford, 88, of Marmaduke, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006, at Evergreen Health and Rehab in Rector.

Born Jan. 17, 1918, in Denver, Colo., to the late James Olson and Nellie Mae Brott Olson Cole, she was a homemaker, a longtime member of the community and a member of New Home Missionary Baptist Church.

She also was preceded in death by her step-father, Lusky Cole; her husband, Rudy E. Sanford, on July 5, 1996, and brothers, Bud, Snooks and Elmer Olson and Terry and Bruce Cole.

Survivors include four sons, Elmer and Bertis Sanford of Jonesboro, Rudy Lee and Mary Sanford of Marmaduke, Joe and Martha Sanford of St. Louis and Wesley Sanford of Paragould; two daughters, Darlene and Jerry Edwards of St. Louis and Rheta and Malcolm Carroll of Marmaduke; one sister, Colleen Anderson of St. Louis, 11 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 23, at Irby Funeral Home Chapel in Marmaduke with Bro. Carl Cate and Jerry Jolly officiating. Burial was in Harvey's Chapel Cemetery near Marmaduke.

Active pallbearers were Marian Payne, Maurice Hamilton, Bill Pratt, Gene Bennett, Keith Dooley and Darrell Sanford. Honorary pallbearer was Lawrence Hamilton.