John Frederick Stannard

John Frederick Stannard, 97, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather and husband, died peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Memorial service: John's long and blessed life will celebrated at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Arlington. Family graveside service: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Laurel Land Funeral Home in Oak Cliff. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials honoring John's life be made to Mission Arlington or the Plano Civic Chorus. He was born in Kansas City, Mo., and was married to the love of his life, the former Florence Elizabeth Powers, for 70 years. They had four children: a beautiful daughter, Linda; and three strapping sons, John David, William Ralph, and Ralph Frederick. He served in the Army Signal Corps and was a proud 32nd-degree Mason. He was a very successful salesman in the food and restaurant industry and was retired from Kmart. He was an active member of First Baptist Church of Arlington and loved all types of music. He and Florence founded the "Pitch-Pipers," a singing group that performed for numerous nursing homes and retirement centers throughout North Texas. The family expresses its sincere thanks to Village Creek Nursing Home and Mission Hospice for their care of our loved one. He was preceded in death by his wife, Florence; brothers, Bill, Robert and Albert Stannard; sister, Elizabeth Fincher; son, William Ralph; and grandsons, David Sheldon Stannard and William Ronald Davis. Survivors: He is survived by his children, Linda Stannard Davis and husband, William "Dub" of Arlington, John David Stannard and wife, Cindy, of Costa Rica, Ralph Frederick Stannard of Richardson; sister-in-law, Pat Stannard of Ballwin, Mo.; grandchildren, Vicki Davis Smith, Rhonda Thorne, Kim Sanders and husband, Bryan; great-grandchildren, Haley and Nathan Sanders, Cayley Smith; and a multitude of extended family and friends.