- Date Of Birth: October 6, 1930
- Date Of Death: January 21, 2021
- City: Okeechobee
- State: Florida
Raymond L. Sanford Jr. of Okeechobee, Florida, passed on January 21, 2021. His 10 children, 13 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 9 siblings, a beloved daughter-in-law, countless nieces and nephews, and hundreds of thousands of carnival friends and Showmen will miss Ray dearly.
Ray was born on October 6, 1930, in the hardscrabble poor southern tier of New York State, an area that was struggling to survive the great depression. As a child growing up in those lean and hard times, he early on developed resourcefulness to overcome adversity, an attribute that served him well throughout the nine decades of his life. As a teen, Ray would make his rounds at the local fairs with his concession. Throughout the 1940s he wore various hats as he learned the business. From this modest beginning began a 70-year career in the outdoor amusement industry.
Duty called in the early 1950s, and he answered through his years of service and reserves in the U.S. Army, Company “B”, 1st Battalion 3d Infantry in Fort Myers, Arlington 11, Virginia. A service that culminated in him being a member of the elite Presidential Honor Guard. Sergeant Sanford was stationed at Arlington National Cemetery; a role that he felt was an opportunity to serve his country with honor and pride. Ray also received a National Defense Service Medal for his bravery and dedication to the men that served with him.
Upon completion of his service to his country, he returned to western New York to his carnival business. As time moved forward from the late 1950s to the early 2000s, he progressed from concessionaire to a show owner of Zabel’s Top of the World shows. In this time, he was blessed with five children he loved deeply. He then married his beloved wife, Rita, on July 7, 1968, and took on a brood of four more children to his pack. Together, they all became a family. As time rolled on, he downsized and moved to South Florida in 1986, where he continued to be active in the business. By the early 2000s, time was winding down on an amazing career, yet he never quite let go of the carnival. Even in his final years, he acted as a mentor for other showmen.
In 2014, Ray and his wife moved into the Okeechobee Health Care Facility where they spent their final four years together before Rita passed on June 17, 2018. In early 2021, after 90 years of utterly amazing stories, Ray put a period to the end of his story. He will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by all of his legion of family and friends.
In his life, Ray was a devoted father, husband, mentor, showman, and elder statesman. Ray taught kindness, empathy, loyalty, and respect in the way he treated others, and he always had a special place in his heart for everyone. With a twinkle in his eye, he would bestow the most perfect nicknames to the people who were special to him. Those that came on his lot looking for work were given a job, a meal, and pay. Some stayed for the day, one stayed for the rest of his life. He never let anyone go hungry and he did everything he could to protect and care for those around him.
Ray was delighted in being able to let the kids from a nearby blind school have the carnival all to themselves for a few hours, year after year. He would do anything to put joy in a child’s life. He often said that if he lost everything, he would put kids in a wheelbarrow and push them around just to see them smile and laugh.
As part of his legacy, Ray’s work ethic still navigates the lives of family and friends who spent summers working for him on his rides and attractions. He started countless festivals in western New York, many that are still enjoyed today, including the Corn Festival, Grape Festival, Strawberry Festival, and the Lewiston Peach Festival, just to name a few. Now, more than ever, those who love him treasure the stories he has passed along to them, both in their hearts and the words that live on the pages of his 2010 memoir. Memories of him and the lessons he taught will forever be in the hearts of all he touched.
Much like the final days at a carnival, while it may seem all the rides have stopped and the good times have passed, the road is calling with the next adventure. Only now, do we wrap up the final canvas, the beautiful canvas of life here on earth, and begin traveling to the next destination. Remember always to “Roll Toward the Wagon”.
Dad was an incredible father that took great pride in just being an ordinary, yet a very extraordinary man and showman. He appreciated the privilege of creating his own path because good or bad, it belonged to him.
Ray, Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa; we love you and take comfort in knowing you are in the arms of those who left before you. Send our love to Mom (Rita), Grandpa Ray Sr., Grandma Rose, Grandma Mary, Uncle Bob and Jeanette, Eric, Karen, and Jason!
