JESS STANFORD

In this moving tribute delivered on May 22, 2026, Matthew Rowe+ celebrates the exemplary life and legacy of Jess Stanford. From his West Texas upbringing during the Great Depression to his distinguished military and civil service careers, Jess lived out his faith with deep devotion, serving Emmanuel Episcopal Church as a leader, Eucharistic Minister, and welcoming presence. Read the full sermon honoring a faithful servant who truly embodied a spirit of "Unashamed Conviviality."

St. Paul writes to the young Thessalonian church with words of encouragement to give them hope, to add confidence to their faith that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ means new life for all who trust in him, and continuing fellowship with those beloved brothers and sisters in Christ who fall asleep, a commonly used synonym for physical death in the early Church, an expression of belief in the resurrection of the body. Paul’s words of encouragement are fitting words in such a time as this, a time we wish could have been put off.

George Herbert was one of the most beloved churchmen of 17th century England. His spiritual poems and prose are still read and studied today. For many a clergy member, he is the paragon of a good and faithful pastor. When the sickness that claimed George Herbert’s life befell him, one of his friends who held him in the highest esteem, Nicholas Ferrar, prayed these words:

“Merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee. . .
to continue to us that singular benefit which thou hast given to us
in the friendship of thy servant. . .who now lieth on the bed of sickness.
Let him abide with us yet awhile, for the furtherance of our faith.”

In spite of that heartfelt prayer, it was the end of Herbert’s life. The time had come to commend him to God’s merciful care and to give thanks for having known him.

Such is our task today, to commend Jess to God’s merciful care, and to give thanks for having known him, loved him, lived with him, and learned so much from him.

Today we give thanks for a life that began on a Sunday, an appropriate day for the son of a preacher man. The Rev. E. Lee Stanford was preaching the morning service when he received news of the birth of his third child, whom he would bring up to know and love the Lord, heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Growing up in the Texas Panhandle during the years of the Great Depression, moving regularly from town to town as was customary for Methodist preachers, was not the easiest childhood possible, yet it gave Jess a firm can do attitude, the willingness to work hard, a West Texas sort of willingness to lend a helping hand when needed. It also contributed to a positive disposition, and the capacity to face complicated issues with calm wisdom. These characteristics that made Jess a unique and special child of God were displayed in his family life, his military career, his civil service career, and in the way his Christian faith influenced his entire life.

As a family man Jess was consistent, up early, fixing breakfast for the family, home in time for supper at the family table. He was present for his children, involved in their activities. He was fun, adventuresome, and most of all, a loving father.

In his military career, Jess was faithful in doing his duty, as the silver eagles of a full colonel on his epaulets attest. He was concerned for the well-being of those with whom he served, as well as those who came under his duties in planning troop transport. He was diligent in his promise to defend liberty, protect national security, and guard freedom.

After retiring from the Air Force, Jess began a second career in civil service with the city of San Angelo, where he did his utmost to serve the citizens of our city and make it a good place to call home, an oasis on the edge of the Texas Hill Country, the Permian Basin, the Edwards Plateau, and the Chihuahuan Desert.

In all of those chapters of life, Jess followed Our Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord, and he did so in the communion and fellowship of the Church. At some point Jess found the way the Christian faith is practiced in The Episcopal Church suited his spiritual type. There is a record of his first affiliation with Emmanuel back in 1962, which must have been a time he was stationed at Goodfellow.

It is in the context of the life of this parish church that I have known Jess. He has served here in many capacities. He has been a welcoming presence, serving first in the Usher Guild, and then as Head Usher, where he trained others to be ministers of welcome and hospitality. Jess has been an evangelist, never shying away from the opportunity to invite someone to Emmanuel when he sensed that it might be a blessing to their spiritual journey. He has been a supporter of and participant in various forms of parish fellowship. I once heard an address by Robert Runcie, a retired Archbishop of Canterbury, now of blessed memory, in which he described the genius of the Anglican tradition, the tradition in which The Episcopal Church shares, as Unashamed Conviviality, the ability to live together and enjoy being together, even when there may be points of theological divergence, because, he said, being together is often more to be desired than being right. Here at Emmanuel we try to put Lord Runcie’s Unashamed Conviviality into practice whenever possible.

Emmanuel’s life of worship has been enhanced by Jess’ service as a Eucharistic Minister, someone who assists in the worship services, particularly in the administration of Holy Communion. In my years of ordained ministry, Jess has been the most efficient chalice bearer I have known, handling that work with such holy efficiency. Between two fingers holding the purificator, the linen used to wipe the chalice. In the other hand bearing the chalice, presenting it to a Communicant, and then using the purificator to wipe it clean as he gives the chalice a quarter turn to present a clean surface to the next Communicant, while also sliding the purificator between his fingers so that a clean portion is always there to wipe the chalice clean. I always marveled, and thought, “This is how it should be done,” and I wish I could have made a video to use in the training of future ministers. He has also been a faithful minister of pastoral care, serving as a Eucharistic Visitor, bringing Holy Communion to the ill and infirm who are not able to attend services.

And don’t get me started about his leadership in the parish, the many times he has served on the Vestry, as a Churchwarden, diocesan convention delegate, on the finance and stewardship committees. One of the things I have come to appreciate about Jess in these capacities is his desire to see the ministry of the church move forward, even if it means trying something new or doing something familiar in a slightly new way. He didn’t always embrace new ideas right away, but he didn’t just dismiss them right away, either. He tested them. He prayed about them, and if he discerned a new idea was God’s way of moving the church forward, he supported it.

And really don’t get me started on the Jess Stanford imprint on this physical plant. So much of the maintenance and upkeep of this place has been influenced by Jess, as has much that is new. Ever since I’ve known Jess, he has had replacing the windows in the office and library wing on his Top 10 List of Projects, but it always seemed to be pre-empted by other projects. That was until this past winter, when new, more energy efficient windows were finally installed, and they are having a positive effect on our energy usage.

In his various working careers, Jess has had an aptitude for personnel management, so it’s no surprise he brought those skills to his church life, serving on several search committees. That is my first memory of Jess. Beth and I landed at Mathis Field on a gray February day in 2012, and Jess was there waiting for us. He introduced us to San Angelo and to Emmanuel. He and Glenda treated us with kind hospitality, and they also drove us all the way to Lubbock to meet with the Bishop, who must approve any new clergy coming into the diocese. Once I accepted the call it was Jess who was instrumental in helping me learn the customs of this parish, Emmanuel way, which is a very special way, one that I will endeavor to carry on, with frequent thoughts of the good Christian man who helped me to learn it.

I found this prayer, an anonymous prayer from another 17th century English churchman. I have a fondness for that period of English Church history. It was a time of rich spiritual devotion in the days prior to the English Civil War, which led to 20 years of Puritan hegemony. The Puritan heart was darkened by visions of a an angry God and an entirely corrupt humanity, but how could someone entirely corrupt pray thus:

O merciful Lord, who has conceded such favours to me,
grant to me to have true faith to hold with all humility,
to preserve complete charity with all men,
to serve you my Lord with a pure heart and with a chaste body,
let me toil earnestly all the way to the end of life,
so that after the toil I may be able to hear that longed for voice;
Well done good servant, enter into the joy of your Lord. Amen.

Dear Jess, faithful brother in Christ, you have toiled earnestly all the way to the end, and I fervently believe that now, after your toil, you will hear that longed for voice;

Well done good servant, enter into the joy of your Lord. Amen.

Matthew Rowe+