Gary Bernard Stanford, son of the late Almon Earl Stanford and Joy Montez Marsh Stanford, was born on November 11, 1947, in Melbourne, Arkansas, and departed this life on August 25, 2024, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 76 years.

Gary was a Veteran of the United States Air Force, a retired Flight Engineer with the Tennessee Air National Guard, and a retired Lieutenant and Paramedic with the Memphis Fire Department. He was a resident of Cape Girardeau, Missouri and a lifelong member of the Church of Christ. Gary lived and breathed his family and Bluegrass music.

He is survived by two daughters, Terri May and husband Emmanuel of Dexter, Missouri, and Jennifer Knupp and husband Vin of Cape Girardeau, Missouri; by his son, Tim Hardy of Cape Girardeau, Missouri; by six grandchildren, Bo Staggs (Destiny), Brittany Tapley (Deacon), Meagan Sander (Logan), Brooklynn May, John May, and Coty Stanford (Reese); by six great-grandchildren, Mason Carmack, Levi Staggs, Luke Staggs, Leah Staggs, Isaac May, and Kennedy May; by his nieces, #3 LaRhonda Billingsley, #5 Amy Phillips, and #6, Missy Gates; and by his nephew, Kenny Stanford.

Other than by his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 27 years, Laverta Cooper Stanford, by two brothers, Ronnie Lee Stanford and Richard Earl Stanford; and by his niece, #4 Kristi Altman.

Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, August 31, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. with Gary Cooper and Casey Elmore officiating the service. Interment will follow in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in rural Bloomfield.

Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is assisting with arrangements.