John D. Stanford of Vicksburg passed away on Friday, Sept. 1, at Merit Health River Region following a lengthy illness. He was 86.

Funeral services will be Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, at the chapel of W. H. Jefferson Funeral Home at noon with the Rev. Albert Cavin officiating; interment will follow in the Cedar Hill Cemetery.  There will be a visitation held Friday, Sept. 8, at the funeral home from 5 to 6 p.m.

Mr. Stanford worked as a supervisory truck driver.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jessie and Lucy Beck Stanford; his brothers, Roscoe Stanford, Jessie Stanford Jr., Joe Stanford, Wardell Stanford, George Stanford and Malcom James Stanford; his sisters, Mary Lee Reed, Bertha Reed, Annie Lee Beck, Fannie Goodman, Katie Grant , Martha Goodman and Beatrice Stanford, B. Lawson.

He is survived by his sons, John D. Stanford Jr. of Greenville and Maurice Carroll of Indianapolis; his brothers, Frank Stanford of Greenville and Leotis Stanford of Vicksburg; and a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and others.