Truett Kent Stanford Sr. of Los Banos, California passed away on Monday April 10th. Born on June 15th 1934 to Mildred (Mimmie) and Truett Covington Stanford in Eldorado, Texas.
Truett was the center and the co-captain of the Eldorado High School football team and he married his high school sweetheart Jorgia Mae Lagow in 1954. Truett graduated from Eldorado High School and went one year to San Angelo State University where he majored in Agronomy. He was active in 4-H and won many ribbons for showing Corriedale sheep. The Stanford family had a combination cattle ranch and cotton farm near Eldorado where all three of his brothers went to Eldorado High School.
Truett Kent went to work for Sinclair Oil Company in 1956 and worked in the oil fields around Eldorado and other parts of Texas. In 1969 he got the bug for going to California and headed west taking his wife and three kids, Debbie, TK (Jr.) & Kathy in tow. He went to work for Trailmobile making long haul semi-trailers as a welder. He taught himself auto body repair with a little help from Reg Lagow and from going to body shops and telling them he could do the work, when he was still learning the trade. Truett was very gifted when it came to using his hands and he became an accomplished Auto Body journeyman and learned the art of being a collision repair specialist. After four years of working in the body shops around San Jose, California, he decided to start his own shop and it was called Stanford Body Shop located on Monterey Road in San Jose. He had the shop for over 25 years.
In 1996 he was divorced after 42 years of marriage. In 2000, he married Ngyuet Ly and they moved to Los Banos, California in 2002. Truett had a disabling stroke in January, 2004 and his wife, Ngyuet faithfully took care of him for 13 years until his death.
His favorite pastimes were taking the family out on water-ski trips both in Texas and California and working on home improvement projects and loved being around family. Dad was full of passion, strength and a tenacity that enabled him to keep going when others would have given up. He put in long hours of work for his family. He gave to the Church and to missionaries and had a strong faith and trust in God. He loved attending Los Gatos Christian Church.
Truett K Stanford Sr. is survived by his wife, Nguyet Ly, also Jorgia Stanford and his three children from first marriage; Debbie Roach, TK Stanford and Kathy Hunter and 16 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He is also is survived by his three brothers; Albert Stanford (Sonny), Jack Stanford and Joe Stanford and their children, his many (mostly) nephews and a niece.
There will be a memorial lunch in Gilroy, California on April 29th Saturday 2 p.m. There will be a gathering of family and friends in remembrance of Truett K Stanford Sr. of Eldorado, Texas.
