Rayma Lee Sanford 83, passed away January 8, 2014 in Lavinia, Tennessee after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease. Rayma was born June 24, 1930, in Blackwell, Oklahoma to Leslie Ray and Ethel Tripp.

She married Joseph Cheney Sanford November 12, 1950. They were married for 46 years.

Rayma loved her work as a nurse doing patient care and especially teaching young nurses. She worked in Blackwell Oklahoma Milan Tennessee, and Orange Texas. While working at Orange Baptist Hospital, she was awarded Nurse of the Year In 1995. When not working she enjoyed rose gardening, country dancing and working with horses.

She was a great wife, mother and loved being a grandmother. Rayma had a son, Joseph Cheney Sanford II; two daughters and sons-in-law, Rebecca and Sam McLemore of Lavinia, Tennessee and Cynthia and Richard Kain of Orange, Texas; three granddaughters and their husbands, Sarah and Patrick Douglas of Orange, Texas, Hannah and Jessie Patterson of Conroe, Texas and Valerie Sharp of Jackson, Tennessee; and four great-grandchildren, Zaine Patterson and Zoay Patterson of Conroe, Kayla Grace Sharp and Jaxon Sharp of Jackson, Tennessee.

She was preceded on death by her brother, John Travis Tripp; husband, Joseph Cheney Sanford; and son Joseph Cheney Sanford II.

Funeral Services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 12, 2014, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Visitation will be from noon until 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens near Bridge City.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, The Giving Field in Beaumont, Texas or a charity of your choice.