Frederick Shelton Sanford

SANFORD, FREDERICK SHELTON Frederick Shelton Sanford, 88, of Woodbridge, passed away peacefully at Masonicare in Newtown on January 20th, 2013. Mr. Sanford was born May 11, 1924 in Derby, the son of Miriam Cynthia Beard and Frederick Love Sanford. After attending public schools in Shelton, he prepared for college at Hopkins School, graduating with honors in 1942. He completed one year at Yale on a Sterling Fellowship, then entered aviation cadet training, eventually becoming a B-24 navigator. After World War II ended, he returned to Yale, graduating in 1948. Following graduate studies at Clark University, he taught mathematics and geography at Hamden Hall for a year. He began his office career in time study at Farrel Corporation, then joined Sikorsky Aircraft in 1957. Starting as production planner, he advanced into manufacturing engineering. In 1966 he was one of 21 employees selected from 521 applicants to train in computer systems and programming. He remained in information management for the next 27 years, retiring in 1994. While at Sikorsky, he earned a Master of Science degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He took great pride in rewriting the department's highly technical standards (written by outside consultants) into readable English, while reducing their length by 2/3. He was a long-time member of MENSA, the Yale Club of New Haven, and the National Geographic Society. He was also alumni secretary of Hopkins '42. He is survived by his wife Elsie, three children, Gordon Sanford of Woodbridge, Brenda Nuhfer of Granby, and Dr. Marcia Sanford Driscoll of Ellicott City, MD, a brother, Roger B. Hayes of Las Vegas, NV, and six grandchildren. There will be no calling hours. A private service and burial will be in the East Side Cemetery, Pease Road, Woodbridge.