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Obituaries in 1952
Hartford Michigan |
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Virginia Gifford
(Mrs. Guy Gifford),
69, Dies Saturday; Life Long Resident
Funeral services
were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday for Mrs. Guy Gifford, 69, who died
Saturday [July 12, 1952] morning at Watervliet Community
hospital. The Rev James Rogers, Plainwell, former Methodist
minister here, officiated and burial was in Maple Hill
cemetery. Mrs. Gifford was a
lifelong resident of Hartford. She was born Virginia Garland,
in 1883, the daughter of Frank and Emile Garland. She was
married at Bangor to Guy Gifford in August, 1903.
Mrs. Gifford was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and the
local Art Study class. For 30 years she was vice
president of the Kirchen and Gifford. Co. and took-an active
part in the company until stricken with a heart ailment a few
month’s ago. She is survived by
her husband, Guy; two sons, Lee and Harlan; a brother, Victor,
all of Hartford; a sister, Mrs. John Branch of Grand Rapids,
and four grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Jack Smith, John Smith, Milton Weed, Dr. Leo
Latus, Jay Johnson and Paul Richter, Jr.
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Roof Collapse Kills Hartford GI in Korea
Pvt. Edward Smithley, 20,
in Army Two Years, Victim of Mishap at Battlefront
Word was received here this week
of the death of Pvt. Edward Smithley in an accident in Korea
on July 29 [1952]. He is the first Hartford soldier to lose
his life while serving in the Korean war.
According to a telegram from the War department received by
Pvt. Smithley’s wife, the former Mary Lou Robinson, we was
killed when sandbags on a roof of a front-line bunker in which
he was sleeping fell on him. Excessive rain had made the
sandbags too heavy for the roof supports, the telegram said.
It was not reported whether there were any other soldiers in
the bunker with Smithley.
Pvt. Smithley was 20 years old and had been in the
army just a few days less than two years. He was a
military policeman in Korea but recently transferred to the
infantry and was in the front lines at the time of his death.
He had been overseas since February, 1951.
Smithley
had attended Hartford high school and entered the army Aug. 2,
1950. He was
married Aug. 12, 1951. His wife is making her home with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Myrl Robinson.
Pvt. Smithley is survived by his wife, and his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Melvin Smithley, and several brothers and sisters,
Mrs. [Louise] Almiron (Bud) Robinson, Tony,
Roy, Peg,
James,
and Jan [Janie], and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward
Harold, Marion Ind. The telegram
which Mrs. Smithley received from Washington said that a
letter of more detailed explanation would follow.
Possible arrangements to return the boy to Hartford are
awaiting receipt of the letter.
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