A memorial celebration will take place at the Centennial Recreation and Senior Center, 171 W Edmundson Ave., in Morgan Hill, CA, on Saturday, October 25, 2014, from 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
William Russell “Bill” Sanford II passed away peacefully, on October 4, 2014, after a long struggle with Parkinsons.
Bill was born in Fort Leavenworth, KS before spending his youth in Mexico, MO. He later moved to west Texas for high school, and then attended Texas Western College (now UTEP) on an athletic scholarship. He attended South Western Theological Seminary and pastored for several years.
An avid sportsman, Bill loved to SCUBA dive and play golf, but his first love was football. He was a football and track star in high school and college, and earned the nickname “bullet” for his performance as a running back.
He coached football extensively, and for many years, was the defensive coach for the Live Oak High School Varsity Football team, leading the team to numerous championships.
A teacher by nature, Bill was as comfortable instructing English and math, as he was using his booming voice to command a football team. He was known by many simply as “coach.”
Bill had a very successful career in the FBI from 1965 – 1986 where he served as one of the bureau’s first bomb technicians and was known for being an expert marksman. He specialized in counter-terrorism, bombing matters, and foreign counterintelligence in Washington D.C., Portland, San Francisco, and San Jose.
Bill is survived by his sister, Ann, former wife, Carol Sanford, former wife, Rosemary Sanford, companion, Elaine Murphy, three children, Trisha (Orville) Garcia, Harris (Elizabeth) Sanford and Suzi (Greg) Sellers, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
William Russell “Bill” Sanford II May 12, 1934 – October 4, 2014
