Sion Augustus "Gus" Alford III

Sion Augustus Alford III (Gus), passed away from this earth to join his wife Beverly in Heaven on March 9.

He is survived by his three daughters: Jenny Lobmeyer of Chipley, Florida; Tracey Bethea of Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado; Charity Coyle of Colorado Springs, Colorado and his only son, Sion Augustus Alford IV of Trophy Club, Texas. Gus was blessed with sixteen grand children and one great-granddaughter.

Gus was born in Dothan, Alabama in 1935. As an only child, Gus was raised in Chipley, Florida by his father Sion Augustus Alford Jr and his mom, Emily Couch Alford (Jenny). After high school, Gus received a Bachelor's Degree in Business at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Once he graduated from college, Gus signed up for the United States Army where he was stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado decoding communications. Eventually, Gus returned to his home town of Chipley when he met the beautiful Beverly Booker. Sweeping her off her feet, Gus and Beverly were married in 1962 and started their family. Gus began working in the family insurance business with his father and later took it over when his Pop passed away. After putting all of his children through college, Gus was able to retire and enjoy playing music, buying/selling cars and going to gun shows.

It is difficult to describe Gus as he was something different to so many people. To his children, he was a man to be feared and respected. He believed in tough love, God and loyalty. To his close friends, he could be quite charming and humorous. Everyone who knew Gus, knew that he was always right. At least he could make you believe he was. Gus could sit for hours and tell a story. He could remember the tiniest detail to an event that happened 50 years ago. Many days, you could drive by the house and find Gus sitting on the front porch with a cup of coffee and a book. Friends would stop for a visit and not realize they would be there for the rest of the morning listening to Gus talk. Gus was extremely knowledgeable in so many things, especially music, cars, guns and raising kids. His favorite statement to his own grown children was "you never stop raising your kids" and he truly believed it. Gus had influence on so many people of all ages. He had a presence that drew people to him. He was a good man. And he will be sorely missed by his family, friends and those his life touched any many ways.