Martha Ann Sanford

Martha Ann "Cissie" Gooch Sanford, age 75, entered the kingdom of heaven on Saturday, October 12, 2024. 

Cissie was born on October 26, 1948, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, to John and LaRue (Stribling) Gooch.  

After being named valedictorian of her high school class, Cissie declined an academic scholarship to Georgia Tech University to study engineering, choosing to marry and start her family. After many years of providing her family of seven with delicious dinners and with only two children left at home, she then enrolled in Louisiana Tech University. She pursued her passion for nutrition science, earning a Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. After graduating she found immense professional satisfaction working as a registered dietician for the patients of Northwest Louisiana Developmental Center and other facilities. 

Cissie’s strong Christian faith was a beacon for her family and friends, reminding them through struggles that "God is in His heaven”. A daily reader of her Bible, Cissie prayed fervently. She not only prayed for her loved ones but also for prayer requests for people in need. 

Though she had many professional achievements, her greatest treasure was her family. She was the proud mother of five children and even prouder MaiMai to nineteen grandchildren. She often recounted, and sometimes embellished, stories of the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren. In addition to her faith and love of family, Cissie’s passion for cooking and hospitality was known to anyone who sat at her table and tasted her Thanksgiving dressing, devoured her chocolate long cake, or played bourré with her.  

She is preceded in death by her parents and nephew, Spence Gooch.

She is survived by a sister, Ellen Voris and husband, Ed of Bedford, IN; brother, Johnny Gooch and wife, Vivian of Madison, MS; children, Kae Bell and husband, Bill of Bossier City, LA, BJ Sanford and wife, Leah of Bossier City, LA, Beth Parks and husband, Brent of Thornton, CO, Sarah McCrary and husband, James of Prairieville, LA, Robert Sanford and wife, Sarah of Bixby, OK; grandchildren, Katie (David) Grice, Will Bell, Sam LeJeune, Rachael Parks, Miles Johnson, Walker (Morgan) Bell, Emma Claire (Chandler) Tuggle, Jackson (Brooklynn) McCrary, Abby (Derek) Van Dyke, Rebekah Parks, Hunter Sanford, Laney McCrary, Joel Parks, Preston Sanford, Hunter Curlis, Peyton Sanford, Hayden Curlis, Bella Sanford, and Barrett Sanford; great-grandchildren, Ella Acurio, Kayce Tuggle, Evie Grice, and Karson Tuggle, as well as nieces, Leigh Ann (Jason) Patterson and Sunny (Hunter) Holliday; and nephews, Stephen Turgi and Michael Ware.  

Her grandsons will honor their MaiMai by serving as her pallbearers.  

Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 10:00-11:00 am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Dr., Bossier City, LA 71111, and followed by a private, closed service. Interment will follow at Rose-Neath Cemetery.  

The family would like to thank friend Rylie Harland for her care and kindness. Lastly, the family would like to thank the staff at Old Brownlee Community Care Center for their patient and kind care in Cissie's final days.