Edith was born Sunday June 6th, 1926 in Grapevine, Grant County, Arkansas the first child of Carl Dee & Ethel (Ray) Gossien. She died Monday, May 31st, 2010, six days before her 84th birthday.

Edith married Robert Lankford and they had 5 children. They lived in Mississippi when their first daughter Bobbie was born in 1946, moving to Arkansas before their first son Robert Jr. was born in 1948. Lack of work moved the family to Oregon where they had 1 more son Lynn in 1950 and 2 more daughters Djuanna 1951 & Marty 1953 before moving to Northern Ca. In 1954.

On July 17, 1955 Edith was left a widow with five children from the age of 2-9 years old when her husband Bob Lankford was killed in a car accident. Going to work double shift at the Redwood Inn, Garberville, CA. as maid in the mornings and desk clerk at night for Fred Mallory to support 5 small children. Edith & Fred stayed close friends till his death.

May 5th, 1961 she married Richard Rider, they lived in several places in Calif, with mainly living in Humboldt County Garberville area & Siskiyou County Yreka area. She was widowed in 1981 when Richard Rider died of cancer.

Edith married Troy A. Wood May 25, 1991 & widowed once again in 2006.

At Ediths death Monday May 31st, 2010 her legal name was Edith J. Wood as it is stated on her death certificate. She had spoke of going back to the name of Rider that is on her headstone and was in her obituary, yet never did so legally.

She is survived by daughter & son in-law Bobbie & John Pogue of Phillipsville, Ca., daughter Djuanna Lankford of Yreka, CA, & daughter & son in-law Marty & Ron Mangrum of Montague, CA., step-son Richard G. Rider of Ontario, CA., sister Elois Oldner of Grapevine, Ark., sister in-law Sue Gossien Knight of Fortuna, CA., Grandchildren Vonai Graham, Sonny Hartzell, George Sutherland, Rick Sutherland, & Lisa Wheeler all of Garberville, CA area, Brenda Carpenter of Las Vegas, NV. Robbie Boucher of Cool, CA., Steve Grieb of San Diego, CA., Rich Jones, Robert Jones, & Denny Parker all of Montague, CA. Jennifer Rider, Rebecca Rider,& Meghan Rider all of Ontario, Ca area, 17 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great grandson, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Edith was preceded in death by her parents Carl & Ethel Gossien, her only 2 sons Robert & Lynn Lankford, 3 husbands Bob Lankford, Dick Rider, & Troy Wood, her brother Ray Gossien, sister Gearl Baker, sister Shirley Ainsworth, great grandchildren Casey Strain, Sean Duane Hartzell, & Alisha LaVonne Carpenter. Also DeVon Hartzell though her ex son in-law, she considered him just one of her kids and many life long close friends.

Edith was laid to rest by her husband Dick Rider, two sons Robert & Lynn Lankford and great granddaughter Alisha Carpenter. Her grandsons Sonny Hartzell, George Sutherland, Rick Sutherland, Steve Grieb, Rich Jones, Robert Jones, & Denny Parker at her wishes were their Grandmothers Pallbearers.

Edith had to ordeal more sorrow in her life then anyone should ever have to. No one knows how things work after life, but I hope she had at least one second to hold the far to many ones she loved and lost.
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STORY OF TO MUCH SORROW OFF OF HER ANCESTRY PROFILE:

At the age of 29 Edith was left a widow with five children nine years old and under. Her children's father Robert A. Lankford was killed in a car accident July 17, 1955. Shortly after her husbands death, her oldest son Robert fell from the side of a cliff walking home from school, breaking several bones in his legs. Robert was hospitalized 2-3 hours away from home for months, having many surgery's over the next several years. Edith had 4 children at home and did not drive, having to get rides from friends whenever possible to see her hurt son.

Two years later May 26, 1957, Edith always being a daddy's girl, went next door to wake her beloved dad Carl Dee Gossien to have coffee & breakfast with her. He had died during the night of a heart attack.

Edith still did not drive and got rides back and forth to work. She worked at the Redwood Inn Hotel, both as motel maid and night desk clerk for a Fred Mallory who she remained friends with until his death.

May 5, 1961 she married Richard Rider, they both became very close to Edith's nephew that she nicknamed Pedro when he was born July 14, 1960. They kept Louis Arias Gossien "Pedro" a lot with them, Pedro and his Mother Edith's youngest teen age sister Shirley both also stayed with Edith often. On Oct. 1, 1961 Pedro was going home with Edith for a few days, there was a car accident and he was killed.

Edith and family moved to Oregon in 1968, her two son's Robert 20 and Lynn 18 were visiting from Lancaster, Ca. for the holidays. Both of her sons were killed in a car accident when they left the house with a friend to go visit other friends. This was possibly the breaking point, many people say she was never the same person again.

You would think no one can take that much sorrow. However it was not over.

Feb. 6, 1981 her second husband Richard Rider died of cancer in Southern Calif. where they had moved with the hope the desert would help with Dick's emphysema. After Dick's death Edith moved up close to her oldest daughter Bobbie, always being very close to Bobbie's children.

Brenda Hartzell Carpenter her grand daughter lived right next door to Edith. March 26, 1986 someone was screaming grandma, when she went next door her great granddaughter Alisha was dead of sids (crib death).

March 27, 1987 her mother died. Edith and all her siblings went back to Arkansas where their mother was living next to their sister Elois, to be with her in her last days.

Edith married Troy Wood May 25, 1991 whom she met in Medford Oregon, when she was spending time with her youngest sister Shirley after her husband Shorty had a massive stroke.

Edith's sister Gearl died Jan 13, 1991 at only 52 years old. Gearl and Edith were probably the closest sisters. Always staying in very close contact.

Then her only brother Ray died Nov. 17, 1994. Ray being the only brother, the family was very close to him. This was very sudden, he died of cancer. Yet he was never one to complain, know one knew he was ill till he passed out at home. He lived about a week in the hospital, conscious & talking but never left the hospital.

Great grandchild Sean Duane Hartzell died Dec. 3. 1999. Though she had not been around him since he was a small baby. He was still a great grand child and a painful loss.

Edith's baby sister Shirley died of lung disease March 23, 2004. It was very hard on Edith for the baby of the family to die. Shirley was only 3 years older then Edith's oldest daughter, she had always considered her baby sister 17 years younger then her to be just a kid.

November 6, 2006 her husband Troy died. They had separated the prior year, due to both being ill and Troy being old believed that her being ill would have a negative affect on his health. Though it was a rather bitter separation in the beginning, they still talked on the phone several times a day, ending each call with I Love You.

April 17, 2009 Edith was having her daily talk to DeVon Hartzell late at night. He said he was almost home and he would see her in a couple days. DeVon died that night or early morning of the 18th. At 83 this is one death, though I'm sure not as hard as some deaths she has been through, she had a real hard time getting through this.
Living alone she missed DeVon's daily calls, sometimes 2-3 a day. DeVon though a ex-son inlaw was the son she know longer had.

I've heard you are never given more than you can handle. I think my Mother was given the limit and then some!

On her headstone the very appropriate Inscription reads: "Resting with those she Loved"