Matthew A. Sanderford

MATTHEW A. SANDERFORD On January 10, 2004 Missionary Matthew A. Sanderford, age 84, went to be with the Lord. He has reached out and touched numerous lives during his 50 years of ministry. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 12 at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church with Rev. Ron Durham officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial North. Visitation with the family will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey, 6101 Bosque Blvd. A native of Waco, Rev. Sanderford was born on Jan. 8, 1920. He received Christ into his life on April 20, 1930 and surrendered to preach in 1940, being ordained into the ministry the following year. He pastored several churches in Texas including First Baptist Church of Leon Junction, Pidcoke, Purmela, Calvert, Milano, Somerville and Fairfield. He also served as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army from 1945-47, during which time he held 14 services a week, as well as ministering in prison camps and at a host of Vacation Bible Schools. Rev. Sanderford Served in Europe for 23 months, where he was awarded the Army Commendation ribbon. In 1952, he and his wife were appointed SBC missionaries to Uruguay, South America where they served for nine years. He also served as Director of Radio Work, the Baptist Press Book Depository, pastor of Prado Baptist Church, Treasurer of the Uruguayan Baptist Mission as well as the National Convention, taught in the Seminary, trained national leaders in Sunday School work, unified budgets, camps, VBS and preached two and three times each Sunday. In 1961 he was transferred to El Paso to work in the Baptist Spanish Publishing House. He served as President of the SBC Computer Users Association from 1984-85. While in El Paso, he also served as interim pastor for many churches. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Dora Jean McDonald Sanderford; sons, Matthew Jr. and wife Margarita of Alvarado, and John Mark Sanderford and wife Susan of Dallas; daughters, Sharon Jean Cummings and husband Larry of Austin, and Lee Bell Ulvestad and husband Gregg of Midland; 11 grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and sister, Vernetta Burns. Abraham French, Nathan Fees, David Sanderford, Erik Ulvestad, Stephen Hooker, Daniel Sanderford and John Matthew Fees will serve as pallbearers. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our ''Memorial Guestbook'' at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY