Roger Dale Sanford

Roger Dale Sanford, age 78, of Cherry Grove, Minn., passed away peacefully on April 11, 2025, in Mesa, Ariz. He was born May 27, 1946, in Spring Valley to Wilbur and Georgia Sanford. 

Roger married Judiene Meyer in 1966; they had three children: Jackie, Corey and Jody, and were  later divorced. He married his soul mate Carol Langdon in 2012. Together they enjoyed  traveling, attending country music concerts, rodeos, summer weekends at Camp Lacupolis and wintering in Texas, Florida and Arizona.

Roger graduated from Wykoff High School in 1964. Over the years he was employed at  Chuck’s Tire and Auto in Rochester, Jennings Junk Yard in Spring Valley in which he covered five states with the car-crushing crew, Wally’s Tire & Towing, and owned Roger’s Tire and Auto  in Spring Valley. After selling his business, he was a bus driver for Kingsland School  District, and Equipment Operator at Fillmore County Highway Maintenance until his  retirement. All, the while he was working, he still enjoyed farming on a small family farm with his son, raising beef cattle and crops.

Roger was a member of the Cherry Grove Methodist Church and attended church at Faith Methodist Church. He loved attending Cherry Grove Cowboy Church Service and listening to and singing to the music.

Roger loved Ford trucks, dogs, hunting, camping with his family, and a good game of cards. He was an avid Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins fan who rarely missed a game. He could be found most mornings with the coffee crew at the head table helping solve all the world problems at Route 63 Travel Plaza in Chester, Iowa, or Micky D’s in Apache Junction, Ariz.

Roger is survived by his wife Carol (Langdon) Sanford, three children: Jackie (Rock) Erlandson, Corey (Holly) Sanford, and Jody (Dave) Houghton. Remembered by seven grandchildren: James (Josie) Erlandson, Tomi Erlandson, Josie Sanford, Christian (Melanie) Sanford, Samantha (Levi) Gaslin, Mikayla Foster, and Mitchell (Josie) Kubista; great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephew. 

Roger is preceded in death by his parents Wilbur and Georgia Sanford, brothers Wallace Sanford and Richard Sanford, grandson Brady Sanford, and great-granddaughter Marlee Erlandson.

Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Cherry Grove United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Cherry Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be held 4–7 p.m. Friday, April 18, 2025, at Faith United Methodist church in Spring Valley and will continue for one hour prior to the service in Cherry Grove. 

Condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com.