Katherine K (Kemp) Sanford

Katherine K. Sanford, a long-time Benton native, passed away late Monday, April 15, 2019 at Franklin Hospital.

Mrs. Sanford was born on January 1, 1931 in San Antonio, Texas to Robert D. and Elizabeth Ross Kemp. She was a 1949 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, W.Va. and received Bachelor’s degrees from West Virginia University and SIU Carbondale. 

Mrs. Sanford taught GED classes for over 15 years in addition to being a long time member of Benton First United Methodist Church Benton as well as serving on the Benton Public Library Board for several years.

Katherine was a world traveler where her travels took her to China, Russia and nearly every country in Europe as well as sailing through the Panama Canal. She and her sister also traveled to both the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic, experiencing the world pole to pole as she liked to describe it.

Mrs. Sanford is survived by daughter Martha S. (Bill) McCreery of Benton, grandchildren Amber E. Winters, Jordan J. (Elizabeth) McCreery, Michael L. McCreery and great-grandchildren Syler and Jaylen McCreery. She was preceded in death by husband Charles E. Sanford, sister Dr. Virginia M. Kemp, daughter Deborah Sue Winters and sister-in-law Lois Sanford McMillen.

As per her wishes, Mrs. Sanford donated her body to the Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Medicine. There will be a memorial visitation on Monday, April 22, 2019 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Morton-Johnston Funeral Home in Benton, IL. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, memorial gifts may be made to Benton First United Methodist Church, the Benton Public Library or Franklin County Animal Control.

For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

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