Barbara J. Gifford

Barbara Jean Gifford

Born
May 5, 1932
San Bernardino, California

Died
October 11, 2014
Portland, Oregon

Celebration of Life
2:00 pm Sunday, November 2, 2014
Lynchwood Christian Church
3815 SE 174th Ave.
Portland, Oregon  97236
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Alice Aileen Jones was born May 5, 1932, in San Bernardino, California to Mildred Jones.
Along came Frank Arthur Mason and Georgia Ione (Christenson) Mason who were preparing
to adopt a baby boy. They were told that no babies were available so all the clothes they had
were given away; then along came a tiny baby girl waiting to be adopted. They enjoyed the
newly named Barbara Jean and raised her to be their own. She walked about six blocks to
Farmdale School in El Sereno where she attended kindergarten, first grade,
and half of the second grade.

At the age of six her family moved to a home just a block and a half from the Alhambra city
line. There she made new friends at Emery Park School which was about a half-mile walk
from her home. Many times in those first seven years, she would make trips to the eye doctor
(Dr. Dalton) for her eye checkup for double sightedness. In the waiting room, the receptionist
would let her “play” on her typewriter. This started her interest in typing and becoming a
                  secretary when she grew up. It was during this time also that she became an
active member of Bethel No. 103 in El Sereno.

Then during the second half of seventh grade until graduation, she attended Woodrow
Wilson High School, where she either walked or rode the bus each day to school. The high
school teachers were tremendous and did not allow for any foolishness. Ms. Holman taught
her special gym class. They were the ones that did not like sports and preferred to stay
indoors with exercise and learning. Ms. Holman impressed her with her rules of conduct. “Do
not chew gum in class. You are not a cow chewing its cud.” To her last day,
she remembered those words.

One of her English teachers was Mrs. Eastwood who read her tenth grade assignment of
favorite poems. She gave her an “A” and wrote that it was beautifully done.
Graduation Day arrived with all eighty students, wearing navy blue caps and gowns, walking
down the aisle to receive their diplomas.

She attended and was active in the Unity Church in Portland. Moving to North-Northeast
Portland in 1980 she started attending Mallory Avenue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),
where she was active preparing communion and fellowship time. In 2005 when that church
closed she became active at Lynchwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where her two
youngest sons were already members, and then later became active at
The View Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

After high school she worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance for five years and eight months,
then moved to Portland, Oregon being employed by the Civil Service Commission. This is
where she met her future husband, Norman Carl Gifford, a USO member. On June 22, 1956
they were married, later divorcing, and they raised three wonderful sons, and she became a
stay at home mother. During these years she was active in public education and civic life,
being PTA President and Den Mother with the Boy Scouts of America, respectively.
In 1973 she started working at Blue Cross and Blue Shield Insurance, retiring there in 1994.
The same year she started volunteering at the Tidal Wave Bookstore, reorganizing and
shelving the children’s books which she continued until September 2014.

She was a member of the Degree of Pocahontas, being a Past Great Pocahontas (State President) and Past Great Keeper of Records (State Secretary); a charter member of the David Douglas Historical Society; Past Matron of Friendship Rose Chapter No. 148, Order of the Eastern Star; She passed away peacefully on October 11, 2014 after complications from open heart surgery. She was a generous, gentle, kind, dedicated and loving spirit. She will truly be missed by so many family and friends.

She is survived by her three sons, Loren Keith Gifford (and his wife, Barbara), of Ventura, California; Brian Trent Gifford (and his wife Sharon), of Troutdale, Oregon, Kevin Robert Gifford, of Portland, Oregon; three grandchildren; Joseph Michael Gifford (and his wife Jessica), of Dublin, Ireland; Andrea Marie Gifford and Alicia Ann Gifford, of Bend, Oregon; three great grandchildren (triplets), Aurora Josephine Gifford, Zoe Leilani Gifford, and Narayana Miyo Gifford, of Dublin, Ireland;. In lieu of flowers, monetary donations can be made to the
View Christian Church, Barbara Gifford Memorial Fund, to help children attend church camp.