Individual Details

Find a Grave Memorial 210591006. Cremated, Specifically: Ashes unknown
News-Press, The (Fort Myers, FL) 21 Apr 2006
William Sterling Samford, 78, of Fort Myers, Fl departed this world on April 18, 2006 at the hour of his choosing. He was born on August 31, 1927 to John Raleigh Samford and Linda Shores Samford in Macon, Ga. and spent all but his first two weeks as a resident of Florida. He was preceded in death by both parents and his brother, John (Jack) Samford of Tampa, Florida. Mr. Samford devoted most of his working life to the securing of benefits, seeking community services and safe and stimulating care of the mentally challenged in institutions in the State of Florida. He opened and served as Superintendent and other Sunland Hospital in Tallahassee, was Superintendent of Sunland, Ft. Myers, now Gulf Coast Center, Regional Director of Developmental Disabilities in this area, and Superintendent of Florida State Hospital at Chattahoochee, Florida. He was responsible for implementing many innovations resulting in new and additional services from community sources. Mr. Samford was a graduate of the St. Petersberg High School, attended Rollins College and UF and was a life long scholar of the world's conditions in many facets of social, political and environmental concerns. He served in the Army in Korea and his early working life was spent managing various public construction projects.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Ann (Brunk) Samford; his sister, Julia Copland; daughters, Linda (R. Blake) Frazier of Alpharetta, Ga., and Betty (James F.) Fair, of Conroe, TX, and sons, John L. (Cindy) Samford, and William S. Samford II (Sharlyne) of Tallahassee, Fl and Richard R. Hendrix and Ed (Donna) Hendrix of Fort Myers; granddaughters, Kelly (A.J.) Hardy, Brooke and Jordan Hendrix; and grandsons, John R. (Sarah) and Matthew Samford, Rick Hendrix Jr. and Brad Hendrix; great grandchildren, Alex and Jessica Hardy; as well as the mothers of this children, Camille Tucker Samford Wright, and grandchildren, Frank B. Samford.
Friends are invited to visit with family members at the home place at 13231 Idylwild Farm Rd. Buckingham, from 3:00 to 5:30 PM on Sunday, April 23, 2006 with private family services to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to organizations on behalf of the mentally challenged or the donor's favorite charity.
Cremation arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home.

Birth	31 Aug 1927	Macon, Bibb County, Georgia
Census (family)-shared	4 Apr 1930	(John Raleigh Samford and Linda Peterson Shores) Anniston, Calhoun County, Alabama
Census (family)-shared	8 Apr 1940	(John Raleigh Samford and Linda Peterson Shores) Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Census (family)-shared	24 Mar 1945	(John Raleigh Samford and Linda Peterson Shores) St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida
Marriage	Oct 1969	Collier County, Florida - Living
Residence	1 Jan 1995	Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida
Death	18 Apr 2006	Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida
Residence		Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida

Spouse	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	John Raleigh Samford (1897 - 1968)
Mother	Linda Peterson Shores (1896 - 1946)
Sibling	John Raleigh Samford Jr. (1919 - 1919)
Sibling	Jack Shores Samford Sr. (1921 - 1997)
Sibling	Julia Mae Samford (1923 - 2012)

Notes