John Lewis Hansford passed away peacefully at the age of 90, at the Vaiden Community Living Center on Monday, July 31, as his sister, Polly Thomasson, and good friend, Barbara Robinson, lovingly held his hands. Funeral services were held at Oliver Funeral Home on Friday, Aug. 4. Visitation began at 1 p.m., followed by the service at 2 p.m. Burial services were at Huntsville Cemetery, Kilmichael, Montgomery County, Miss. Pastor Brian Gordon of the Moore Memorial United Methodist Church conducted the services. Pallbearers were Charles McCrary, Reece McCrary, Mark Green, Danny Brown, Ted Jennings, Ronnie Carson, Keith Marchant, and Larry Minyard.
Mr. Hansford was born on Sept. 5, 1932, in Union, Miss. He began his 34 years of federal service in March 1951, first serving as a radio operator in the U.S. Navy on the USS Wasp (CV-7) and circled the world a few times during the Korean war. After he was discharged from the Navy in 1955 and returned to the states, he met Lula Mae McCrary at a dance, and they were married May 30, 1956, in Macon, Miss.
He worked in private industry while using his GI Bill benefits to attend Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss. He fast-tracked his studies and graduated with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1958. He then resumed his federal service at Brookley AFB, Ala., as an electronics engineer for Ground Electronics Engineering Installation Agency (GEEIA), Eastern Region. During this time, he contributed to engineering the communications systems for NASA as the Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers were being constructed, and personally oversaw some of its installation.
In 1968, he moved with GEEIA to Keesler AFB, Miss., and became standards and review engineer. In 1970, Mr. Hansford transferred to Tinker AFB, Okla., to become chief of the Outside Plant Section for the 1845th Electronics Engineering Squadron (EES). From 1980 to 1988, he served as chief of the Wire Engineering Branch for the 1845th EES, Headquarters Southern Communications Area, Headquarters Engineering Installation Center/Division, and then for the 1845th Electronics Engineering Group.
He was faithfully married to Lula Mae McCrary for 59 years until she passed away on March 5, 2015. He was a steadfast and reliable husband and father, as he and Lula adopted Timothy Andrew Hansford, born July 8, 1966, and John Lamar Hansford, born Nov. 1, 1969. While he often appeared to be the "strong and silent" type, he was devoted to and loved his wife and sons dearly. However, at the sight of any child or toddler, he'd transform into a big teddy bear with bright eyes and big smiles, as he had to hold and play with them.
John Lewis Hansford will be missed by his family and many friends that admired and adored him. He is survived by his son Tim Hansford and son Lamar Hansford and his wife Jill, his sister, Polly Thomasson and her two daughters, his nieces, Leanne Green, Lisa Loper, and their families, and nephew, Joey Hansford.
Oliver Funeral Home of Winona handled the arrangements. An online guestbook may be signed at www.ofhwinona.com.
