Gordon Wayne Gifford

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Longtime Kenai resident Gordon Wayne Gifford died Monday, Dec. 4, 2006, from cancer at his home. He was 74.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Dec. 8, 2006, at the New Life Assembly of God Church, 209 Princess St. in Kenai. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services. Pastor Steve Brown will officiate. Graveside services will follow at the Kenai City Cemetery. A reception will follow the services at the church. Pallbearers will include Harold and Tom Flood, Rocky DeMello, Kenny, Jon and Dennis Gifford and honorary pallbearer Patrick Gifford.

Mr. Gifford was born Oct. 4, 1932, to Henry C. and Martha Luella Gifford, in Colton, Calif. He graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1949. Shortly thereafter he entered into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Nome with the 542nd Engineering Survey Co. He was honorably discharged Feb. 11, 1953. He met his wife Patsy in San Bernardino, Calif., and they were married in Yuma, Ariz., in 1953.

Mr. Gifford enjoyed the time he spent in Alaska and always wanted to return. In 1966, Mr. Gifford began working for Unocal in Southern California and he was provided an opportunity to return to Alaska in 1968 to work at the Colliers Chemical Plant in North Kenai. He remained employed with Unocal until retiring as a Millwright Supervisor in 1997. Mr. Gifford was a longtime member of the Kenai New Life Assembly of God Church. He enjoyed fret work (wood work), old cars and making others laugh.

“His family and friends will miss his impish smile, his quick wit and devious, but good-natured sense of humor. The family takes great comfort in the knowledge that he is now with the Lord,” said his family.

Mr. Gifford was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by Patsy, his wife of 53 years; daughters, Jeanine Adams of Kenai and Kim Gifford of Soldotna; sons, Dennis, Jon and Patrick Gifford, all of Kenai; granddaughters, Lanell and Rebecca Adams, of Kenai, Corinne Koster of California, Monique Jackson of Anchorage, Audre, Amanda and Madison Gifford of Kenai; great-grandchildren, Mazzy Jackson and Zachary Szabo of Anchorage and Aaron Prevost of Kenai; brothers, Darrel Gifford of Hillsboro, Ohio and Ken Gifford of Redlands, Calif.; and sister Linda Mendonza of Sacramento, Calif.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 1057 West Fireweed Lane, Suite 204, Anchorage, AK 99503.

Arrangements were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.