Robert Marshall Vanderford
Position Held
Conductor, Trainman, Brakeman
Railroad Line
Illinois Central
Routes: Freight Routes
Lived in South Fulton KY while working on the railroad.
Home Town
South Fulton, TN
Years Worked 1970 - 1981
dob: 5/1/45
Robert M. Vanderford, worked at the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad from 1970-1981 and he lives and has lived in South Fulton, TN
Mr Vanderford was born on May 1, l945, to the late F. M. and H. B. Vanderford, they passed away 1969 and 1995 respectively. He attended and graduated from the former Rosenwald Elementary School located in South Fulton, TN., and then graduated from South Fulton High School East, May 1963, during the period of 1963-1967 while in the U. S. Air Force at night...
Scroll to below photos for full story.
Mr Vanderford was born on May 1, l945, to the late F. M. and H. B. Vanderford, they passed away 1969 and 1995 respectively. He attended and graduated from the former Rosenwald Elementary School located in South Fulton, TN., and then graduated from South Fulton High School East, May 1963, during the period of 1963-1967 while in the U. S. Air Force at night...
Scroll to below photos for full story.
Mr Vanderford was born on May 1, l945, to the late F. M. and H. B. Vanderford, they passed away 1969 and 1995 respectively.
He attended and graduated from the former Rosenwald Elementary School located in South Fulton, TN., and then graduated from South Fulton High School East, May 1963, during the period of 1963-1967 while in the U. S. Air Force at night he attended school (Wayne Community College, located in Goldsboro, North Carolina) and completed the following courses Commercial Meat Cutting, Refrigeration & Air Condition Installation, several IBM Courses, after which Robert attended for one year at Lane College, 1967-1968, Jackson, Tennessee, then attended and graduated from Kentucky School of Mortuary Science, Feb 28, 1970, Louisville, Kentucky, after which he attended and graduated from Draugons Business (Community College) June 24, 1977, with a degree in Business Administration, Paducah, Kentucky. Also he took some college courses at Murray State University , Murray , Kentucky , and a graduate of the South Fulton-Fulton Community Leadership Institute South Fulton, Tennessee
He is a former member for over 45 years of the Bells Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, located in Fulton , Kentucky , where he served in the following positions: trustee, chairman of the trustee board, building committee secretary, and on the steward board. Now being a member of Highway 45- East Church of Christ located in South Fulton , Tennessee and have been since January 12, 1997.
He served in the United States Air Force during the period of 4 Sep 1963-1 Sep l967, being
Honorable Discharged on 1 Sep 1967, during this period of time while serving in the Air Force in the field of Administration at the 68th Bomb Wing, Strategic Air Command, 9llth Air Refueling Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina. Being discharged as a sergeant and also a Viet Nam Era Veteran
Masonic activities affairs: Being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason (Masonic Language) in Goldsboro, North Carolina at J. W. Hood Lodge, Free & Accepted Prince Hall Masons in the summer of l965, then he ventured further into the order by going from the 3rd degree in masonry to the 32nd degree of masonry in the year of our lord of 1967, after which he petition the most worshipful lodge of Jacksonville Lodge #50 Free and Accepted Masons Prince Hall Affiliation, South Fulton, Tennessee for membership, of which his petition was accepted were he served in the following positions, Tyler, Junior Steward, Senior Steward, Junior Warden, Senior Warden, Secretary, and Worship Master of, later he transferred his 32nd degree to the closet then location of 32nd degree (consistory) of this area, which was (is) located in Paducah, Kentucky, where he is still a member and has been for over (40) years, Robert seeking more light in masonry he then petitioned (In Masonic Terminology), Rajah Temple #92, Hopkinsville, Kentucky and was created a Noble of Mystic Shrine and has kept his membership there for over 38 years also.
In addition to his work as a railroad conductor, Mr. Vanderford is a licensed embalmer and a licensed funeral director in both states of Kentucky and Tennessee, prior to the year of 1971 to 22 March 2004 at the former Vanderford Funeral Home, located in South Fulton, Tennessee, where he has served as the licensed funeral director, licensed embalmer, office manager, preneed salesman and monument salesman. From age twenty-two he has been a funeral director at the Hornbeak Funeral Chapel located in Fulton, KY, from March 2004 until the present and was an employee of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company located in Union City , Tennessee , beginning on May 18, l994 until his retirement on 1 June 2007.
Other activities he has been involved in now or has been: Life member of the N. A. A. C. P. (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Community Activist, Disabled American Veterans, State of Kentucky Veterans Representative, Ken-Tenn Homecoming & Reunion Association, Inc., member and chairman of the board of directors, a member of the board of directors of the Ken-Tenn Community Forum of this area serving as Treasure of the committee, Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce, former member, the first Afro-American in the history of South Fulton, Tennessee to be elected by the people of South Fulton, Tennessee to be elected twice as a person of color as City of South Fulton City Commissioner, served as a member of the Obion County Nursing Home Board of Directors, located in Union City, Tennessee, also served as a member of the Obion County Solid Waste Committee, a founding member of the first Kentucky Black History Museum and the Warren Thomas Historical Museum, located in Hickman, Kentucky, a Kentucky Colonel, being a member of The United Steel Workers Union Local 878L, located in Union City, Tennessee, a member of National Funeral Directors & Mortician Association, Kentucky Funeral Directors & Morticians, Inc., member of National Funeral Directors Association, member of Kentucky Funeral Directors Association, and the West Kentucky Funeral Directors Association..
He is married to the lovely Mrs. Beverly Jean McKinney-Vanderford, and they have , two daughters and sons-in-law Mrs. Annette (Thomas) Pettigrew, South Fulton, Tennessee, Mrs. Lisa (Eddie Ray) Shields, South Fulton, Tennessee, and two sons Mr. Robert M. Vanderford, Jr., South Fulton, Tennessee, Mr. Fayette Milton (F.M.) Vanderford, Greenville, Kentucky, Grandchildren: Ms. Kanesha Pirtle, So. Fulton , TN., Mr. Thomas Andrew Pettigrew Jr., So. Fulton , TN., Ms. Karyen Vanderford, South Fulton , TN., & Ms. Hope Vanderford-Henderson, Lexington, Kentucky.
And his life is enriched by his dedication to his extended family his church family, his Masonic family, his funeral home associates, and the most wonderful FAMILIES, he has served during their time of bereavement.
His favorite words while working on the railroad, have continued though out his life:
“Treat each other with respect, love each other, demonstrate that love, and speak it! Life is so very short. Pretty soon yours, too, will be over. Make a different! Remember, people will forget what you did. But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel!”
Vanderford Funeral Home
Began in South Fulton, Tennessee in 1939 by F. M. Vanderford, who was born in Corinth, Mississippi, the son of a funeral director who was located in Corinth, Mississippi and they owned the Wells & Vanderford Funeral Home in Corinth, Mississippi.
Vanderford as he was called attended Rust College in Mississippi and Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science in Nashville , Tennessee .
Vanderford established the Vanderford Funeral Home at 114 Roach Street , South Fulton Tennessee
On December 28, 1941 he married the former Hattie Robert Bethea in Fulton , Kentucky , she being the first Afro-American 4-H director for the state of Kentucky and assigned to the counties of Fulton and Hickman. (1936-1942)
Both F. M. and H. B. were licensed funeral directors and embalmers in the states of Tennessee and Kentucky
They had two sons Robert and Drew Vanderford, Robert who is a licensed funeral director and embalmer also and lives with his wife Beverly in South Fulton , Tennessee they still involve in the funeral field. Robert is a veteran of Vie Nam Era War, a mason, church member, retired employee of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and former city of South Fulton City Commissioner , Drew with his wife Cheryl lives in Brookport , IL is a retired chemical worker.
With both of the boys having children and grandchildren
F. M. died on 8 Dec 1969 and H. B. died 2 Dec 1995
The Vanderford Funeral Home closed on March 22 2004 they have touched many lives giving friendly and courteous service regardless of circumstances.
Wells-Watson-Vanderford Funeral Home Employees
Front Row: right to left
1. Rev. Watson, 2. Henry Vanderford, 3. Adra Crump Vanderford, 4 Ophelia Watson 5. Mrs. Watson, leaning against the funeral car William McDonald (Embalmer
Second Row: left to right 1. L. W. Wells, 2. Unknown 3.Rev. Richardson (with hat on) 4. Mae Bell Townsend, 5. with cap on William Hines, 6. Dr. Zuker
(Corinth, MS)
Front Row: right to left
1. Rev. Watson, 2. Henry Vanderford, 3. Adra Crump Vanderford, 4 Ophelia Watson 5. Mrs. Watson, leaning against the funeral car William McDonald (Embalmer
Second Row: left to right 1. L. W. Wells, 2. Unknown 3.Rev. Richardson (with hat on) 4. Mae Bell Townsend, 5. with cap on William Hines, 6. Dr. Zuker
(Corinth, MS)