John Gifford

John William Gifford, 94, of Bryant, Ark., died Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, at Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton, Ark.

Born Nov. 23, 1913, in Boyero, Colo., son of the late Chester Dodge and Wilsie Knierien Gifford, he was retired from Gideon-Anderson Company. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Benton and was a member of the Kiwanis Club.

On May 14, 1938, in Centerville, Mo., he married Bernice Hunter, who survives.

Survivors also include one daughter, Norma Bridges, of Benton; two sons, John H. Gifford and wife, Sandra, of San Francisco, Calif., and William A. Gifford and wife, Cinthya, of Burbank, Calif.; four sisters, Ida Cook, of Plato, Mo., Ada Payne, of Laquey, Mo., Esther O'Dell, of Springfield, Mo., and Alice Bradish, of Zephyr Hills, Fla.; four grandchildren, Susan Bridges, of Stamford, Conn., Elizabeth Taulbee, of Bryant, William Gifford, of Burbank and Eric Gifford, of Sacramento, Calif., and three great-grandchildren, Sevilla and Enola Gifford, both of Sacramento and Sara Taulbee, of Bryant.

He was preceded in death by four sisters, Edna Gifford, Margaret Larkin, Rosemary Graham and Dorothy Berry and three brothers, Merlin, Paul and Elmer Gifford.

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m., today, Tuesday, Aug. 26, at the First Baptist Church in Gideon, Mo. with the Rev. Robert Gifford officiating.

Burial was in the Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Kennett

Bradshaw Funeral Home of Gideon was in charge of arrangements.