1923
Charles
2008
Charles William Sandford
August 5, 1923 — December 18, 2008
Charles W. Sandford (1923 - 2008)
Charles William Sandford, 85 died on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, at Illini Hospital in Silvis, Ill.
Per his wishes private family services will be held at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. Inurnment will be in National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal.
Mr. Sandford was born on Aug. 5, 1923, in Galena, Kan., the son of Charles Everett Sandford and Lora Lappie. While a student at Riverton High School, he was actively involved in its athletic program and lettered in three sports: football, basketball and baseball. He graduated in 1941.
The following year, he married Mary Louise Williams at the Riverton Friends Church. Shortly thereafter, due to the outbreak of World War II, he left Riverton to serve in the army in the 149th Combat Engineers battalion. He served throughout the European Campaign participating in the D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy in support of the 29th Infantry Division and concluding with support of the 79th Infantry Division's crossing of the Rhine River near Berlin. Mr. Sandford received several awards for his military services, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Cluster and the French Croix de Guerre. He left the army with the rank of staff sergeant.
After returning from the war, he attended Miami Junior College in Miami, Okla., and graduated from Iowa State University in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
Mr. Sandford then embarked on a 28-year career with Iowa Electric Light and Power Co., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His career path led him from junior engineer to vice president of engineering and cumulated with his tenure as executive vice president and member of the utility's board of directors and executive committee. In addition, Mr. Sandford was project manager in charge of the engineering, construction and operation of the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa's first and only nuclear power plant. Mr. Sandford also served on the board of several Iowa institutions, including Coe College, St. Luke's Hospital and Crandic Railway.
After leaving Iowa Electric in 1974, Mr. Sandford joined San Francisco-based Bechtel Corporation, one of the world's leading engineering and construction firms. He joined the company's Gaithersburg, Md., office as manager of projects specializing in the engineering and construction of many of the nation's largest nuclear power plants. In 1978, Mr. Sandford was elected senior vice president and partner. He also served as Bechtel's senior executive sponsor during their role in assisting in the clean-up of the crippled nuclear reactor damaged during the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident.
Mr. Sandford retired from Bechtel in 1986. He and his wife, Mary, relocated to Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., where they lived for nearly 20 years before moving to Hampton, Ill. in 2004. They celebrated 67 years of marriage in May 2008.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Sandford of Hampton; one sister, Lola Anderson of Tucson, Ariz.; one brother, Jack Dean of Tucson, Ariz.; one son, Charles (Maribeth) Sandford of Marengo, Ill.; one daughter, Cheryl (Roger) Bayness of Port Byron, Ill.; three grandchildren: Jennifer (Scott) McFadden; Jeremy (Jennifer) Bayness; Brittany (Blake) Pawlikowski; two step-grandchildren: Jennifer Madai and Paul (Stephanie) Fleming; three great-grandchildren: Aubrey and Ava McFadden and Katelyn Bayness; and five step-great-grandchildren: Anna Marie, Aubrie and Amanda Madai and Ben and Mia Fleming.
Charles William Sandford, 85 died on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, at Illini Hospital in Silvis, Ill.
Per his wishes private family services will be held at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. Inurnment will be in National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal.
Mr. Sandford was born on Aug. 5, 1923, in Galena, Kan., the son of Charles Everett Sandford and Lora Lappie. While a student at Riverton High School, he was actively involved in its athletic program and lettered in three sports: football, basketball and baseball. He graduated in 1941.
The following year, he married Mary Louise Williams at the Riverton Friends Church. Shortly thereafter, due to the outbreak of World War II, he left Riverton to serve in the army in the 149th Combat Engineers battalion. He served throughout the European Campaign participating in the D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy in support of the 29th Infantry Division and concluding with support of the 79th Infantry Division's crossing of the Rhine River near Berlin. Mr. Sandford received several awards for his military services, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Cluster and the French Croix de Guerre. He left the army with the rank of staff sergeant.
After returning from the war, he attended Miami Junior College in Miami, Okla., and graduated from Iowa State University in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
Mr. Sandford then embarked on a 28-year career with Iowa Electric Light and Power Co., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His career path led him from junior engineer to vice president of engineering and cumulated with his tenure as executive vice president and member of the utility's board of directors and executive committee. In addition, Mr. Sandford was project manager in charge of the engineering, construction and operation of the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa's first and only nuclear power plant. Mr. Sandford also served on the board of several Iowa institutions, including Coe College, St. Luke's Hospital and Crandic Railway.
After leaving Iowa Electric in 1974, Mr. Sandford joined San Francisco-based Bechtel Corporation, one of the world's leading engineering and construction firms. He joined the company's Gaithersburg, Md., office as manager of projects specializing in the engineering and construction of many of the nation's largest nuclear power plants. In 1978, Mr. Sandford was elected senior vice president and partner. He also served as Bechtel's senior executive sponsor during their role in assisting in the clean-up of the crippled nuclear reactor damaged during the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident.
Mr. Sandford retired from Bechtel in 1986. He and his wife, Mary, relocated to Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., where they lived for nearly 20 years before moving to Hampton, Ill. in 2004. They celebrated 67 years of marriage in May 2008.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Sandford of Hampton; one sister, Lola Anderson of Tucson, Ariz.; one brother, Jack Dean of Tucson, Ariz.; one son, Charles (Maribeth) Sandford of Marengo, Ill.; one daughter, Cheryl (Roger) Bayness of Port Byron, Ill.; three grandchildren: Jennifer (Scott) McFadden; Jeremy (Jennifer) Bayness; Brittany (Blake) Pawlikowski; two step-grandchildren: Jennifer Madai and Paul (Stephanie) Fleming; three great-grandchildren: Aubrey and Ava McFadden and Katelyn Bayness; and five step-great-grandchildren: Anna Marie, Aubrie and Amanda Madai and Ben and Mia Fleming.
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