Sue Stanford was born on October 1, 1889 on her family’s farm eight miles southwest of Waco, McLennan County, Tx. Growing up with seven brothers and sisters, Sue Stanford spent much of her youth either assisting with farm chores or worshipping in Stanford Chapel, named for her paternal grandfather who was a pioneer Methodist preacher and a successful grandfather. Her love for education was ingrained through her family life as six of her seven siblings went to college. As her desire for education and her strong emphasis on spirituality grew throughout her childhood, her experience at a missionary meeting conducted by her mother revealed a life-changing link between learning and religion. from that point forward, missionary work deeply interested Stanford. Attending prep school at Coronal Institute, San Marcos, Tx, Stanford chose to pursue undergraduate studies at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Tx. It was in Georgetown where she was introduced to the YMCA and Student Volunteer Movement. more importantly, she studied under Dr. Herbert Lee Gray, a Bible professor and missionary to China from 1890 to 1897. Dr. Gray helped finalize her decision to dedicate her life to missionary work.

Graduating from Southwestern University in 1911, Sue Stanford entered missionary training at Scarritt Bible and Training School. In 1914, she left for China and arrived in Shanghai, a rapidly growing port city of two million. Stanford served as a teacher and principal at the Virginia School for girls in Huchow for the majority of her stay. She also taught a the McTyeire School in Shanghai when the Virginia School was temporarily shut down due to extenuating circumstances.

Stanford’s work in China ended in 1950, when anti-Christian pressure from the newly empowered Communist regime under Mao Zedong took control in 1949. Despite this sudden and forceful ouster, Sue Stanford and her fellow missionaries left behind a solid foundation of indigenous leaders who would continue to advance the spread of Christianity in China.