George Howard Stanford Sr., 88     SCARBOROUGH -- George Howard Stanford Sr., 88, of Scarborough died Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, at home surrounded by his loving family and friends.     George was born in Scarborough, the son of George W. and Eva B. Pierce Stanford. He was educated in Scarborough Schools and graduated from Scarborough High School in 1936. While in high school he was the winner of the Alumni Award, American Legion Award for three years in a row and he participated in basketball, baseball, track, swimming and he was on the rifle team. He was a member of the 4H Club and he was the Maine State Delegate to the 4H National Contest in Washington, D.C. in 1936.      George married Janet Kerwin of Cape Elizabeth on March 25, 1940. He was employed at the South Portland Shipyard from 1941 through 1945, building Liberty Ships. In December of 1945 he founded George H. Stanford Contractor and Builder starting out with two employees. During the next 61 years he employed up to 30 people. Most of who were either family or friends. Over those years he employed many high school students and young family members, teaching them the construction business from the ground up.      During those years the company built many homes, including several homes at Prouts Neck in Scarborough. Other projects including five Senior Housing complexes for HUD, the Pownal Elementary School, the Parish Hall at the First Congregational Church in Scarborough, the IGA Grocery Store and the Canal Bank in Windham. Many of his customers became life long friends.      He was active in Scarborough politics, serving several years on the Scarborough School Board, and he was the chair person of school building committee when the new high school was built, the doors opened in 1954. He also helped build the first dugouts for the Scarborough Little League baseball field.     George had many activities that he enjoyed, including bowling, dancing, water-skiing and snowmobiling, he also belonged to the Scarborough Gun Club. At age 50, George got his pilot's license, he bought a 2-seated Piper Cub airplane with his friend Ralph Cusack and spent the next 20 years giving family and friends rides over the Sebago Lake area. In 1985 George and his wife went to work for their friends Ralph and Jane Cusack at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, he enjoyed working and watching his grandson Robbie race on weekends.     George and Janet enjoyed traveling with friends to Florida, Bermuda, Las Vegas and Atlantic City. They took many trips with their friends Ralph and Jane Cusack, Ken and Gloria Durgin and Steve and Lyn Perkins. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. The most important focus of his life was his wife and family. He was happiest when entertaining family and friends at his homes in Scarborough and on Little Sebago     George Howard Stanford Sr.    Lake. He taught his children and grandchildren to drive his boat and water-ski.     In his later years his great- grandchildren gave him much pleasure, during his long illness they always made him smile.     His sisters Charlotte Jackson and Eleanor Lorfano predecease him. His wife Janet of 67 years survives him; three children Sandra Hartford and husband Buzz of Cumberland, George Stanford Jr. and wife Sue of Cape Elizabeth, and Brenda Harrison of Scarborough; eight grandchildren and their families, Patti (Hartford) Gordan, husband Rick, sons Christian and Colin all of Casco, daughter Wendy (Gordan) McCann, husband Dan, children Cody, Ben and Victoria all of Auburn; Jean (Hartford) Todd, husband Peter, children Jonas and Emily all of North Carolina; Kathy Stanford; Erin Stanford, son Devon, all of Cape Elizabeth; Beth Stanford, partner Jimmy Cribby, daughters Taylor and Jamison, all of South Portland; Lisa (Harrison) Grigsby, husband Dave, son Evan, all of Scarborough and Florida; Amy Harrison, son Brady, all of Scarborough; Robbie Harrison and fiancŽe, Jessica Sturgis of North Carolina, son Connor Harrison of Scarborough; one brother, Leland Stanford, and wife Joan of Scarborough; three sisters, Edith Danby of Portland, Marian Skillings of Scarborough, Frances Jordan of Cape Elizabeth; brother-in-law, Thomas Jackson of Virginia Beach, Va.; along with 22 nieces and nephews who were a phone call away and their families; a special cousin, George Libby of Scarborough; and special family friends, Susan Queen of Scarborough, Tom Queen of North Carolina and Russell and Carmen Queen of Massachusetts.     The family wants to say a special thank you to Beth L., Pam R., Amenda G., Dawna-Lynn D., April S., Sarah T., Mark F., Rosalie M. and Jessica C. for their special care of George and to all of the folks at VNA Home Healthcare and Arcadia Healthcare and to Tim Mulligan of Elder Independence of Maine we could not have kept him at home without you. Thank you George M. you made everything go so easy. And to all family members and friends who helped keep George at home.     Visiting hours will be held from 3-7p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, 2007 at the Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Rd., South Portland. A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at the funeral home. Interment to follow at Black Point Cemetery in Scarborough. There will be a reception at Hobbs Hospitality Center after the burial.    In lieu of flowers donations in his memory may be made to:    The VNA Home Health Care     50 Foden Rd.     South Portland, Maine 04106     VNA Hospice     50 Foden Rd.     South Portland, Maine 04106     Scarborough Rescue     246 U.S. Route 1     Scarborough    Maine 04074     or to the charity of ones choice.