DR. WARNER LaVON "VON" GIFFORD
(January 4, 1928 - February 14, 2018)
"Page Pioneer" dentist, Dr. W. LaVon Gifford, DDS, 90, and his family helped to birth "America's Last Frontier" -- Page, Arizona.
Warner LaVon Gifford was born January 4, 1928 in Boise, Idaho, the firstborn child of Warner Levi Gifford and Mary Ethel Harris.
LaVon or "Von" as he was called, grew up on various farms in the Boise Valley where he learned the value of hard work and was spiritually prepared for a lifetime of service to the Lord.
Shortly after graduating from Emmett Idaho High School, he joined the Marine Corps. Following this, he served a mission in the Northwestern States Mission.
He earned a good share of his dental education by working on construction on Hungry Horse Dam in Montana. He worked on concrete and in the tunnels and in many phases of construction on the dam. He said, "I discovered that these were my kind of people and people I wanted to work with and live with."
He met Adrienne Marie Peterson at BYU where they recognized each other from their growing up years in the Weiser, Idaho Stake. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 2, 1952. After BYU, they moved to Portland, Oregon where Von attended Dental School at the University of Oregon.
After graduation Von began his dental practice which lasted for over 30 years in Page, Arizona. Their lives as "pioneers" in the construction town of Page was filled with the joy and challenges of raising their eight children, taking care of Von's busy dental practice and serving in the schools and community.
He served the Lord in callings which included Bishop, Stake President's Counselor and Mission President's Counselor. With retirement, he and Adrienne began serving full time missions, beginning with the England Bristol Mission 1988-1989, followed by Executive Secretary to the newly formed Africa Area Presidency in Johannesburg, South Africa 1990-1992.
Von was then called as Mission President in the Alaska Anchorage Mission 1993-1996. Returning home from Alaska they moved to Alpine, Utah and were called to serve at the Provo MTC and as Ordinance Workers in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
Von passed away at his home in Alpine, Utah on Saint Valentine's Day, February 14, 2018 at the age of 90.
He is survived by his wife, Adrienne "Addy"; his eight children: Gregory (Brenda), Patrice Young (Gregory), Jeffrey (Alice), Julie Dunn (Brad), Jennifer Dame (Steven), Matthew, Kristen Powell (Christopher), Samuel; 26 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; brothers: Grant and Milton; and sisters: DeAnn (Baird), Evalee (Fish) and Melanie (Watkins).
He is predeceased by his parents Warner and Mary and brother, Gerald.
Viewings were held Friday evening 6:00 to 8:00 pm February 23, 2018 at the Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 N. 900 E. American Fork, Utah and again on Saturday morning February 24, 2018, 10:30 to 11:30, at the LDS Chapel, 901 Village Way, Alpine, Utah, followed by the funeral at 12:00 noon.
The interment was in the Alpine City Cemetery.
Von's daughter, Patrice Marie Gifford Young, wrote:
"So many wonderful memories of my daddy!"
(January 4, 1928 - February 14, 2018)
"Page Pioneer" dentist, Dr. W. LaVon Gifford, DDS, 90, and his family helped to birth "America's Last Frontier" -- Page, Arizona.
Warner LaVon Gifford was born January 4, 1928 in Boise, Idaho, the firstborn child of Warner Levi Gifford and Mary Ethel Harris.
LaVon or "Von" as he was called, grew up on various farms in the Boise Valley where he learned the value of hard work and was spiritually prepared for a lifetime of service to the Lord.
Shortly after graduating from Emmett Idaho High School, he joined the Marine Corps. Following this, he served a mission in the Northwestern States Mission.
He earned a good share of his dental education by working on construction on Hungry Horse Dam in Montana. He worked on concrete and in the tunnels and in many phases of construction on the dam. He said, "I discovered that these were my kind of people and people I wanted to work with and live with."
He met Adrienne Marie Peterson at BYU where they recognized each other from their growing up years in the Weiser, Idaho Stake. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 2, 1952. After BYU, they moved to Portland, Oregon where Von attended Dental School at the University of Oregon.
After graduation Von began his dental practice which lasted for over 30 years in Page, Arizona. Their lives as "pioneers" in the construction town of Page was filled with the joy and challenges of raising their eight children, taking care of Von's busy dental practice and serving in the schools and community.
He served the Lord in callings which included Bishop, Stake President's Counselor and Mission President's Counselor. With retirement, he and Adrienne began serving full time missions, beginning with the England Bristol Mission 1988-1989, followed by Executive Secretary to the newly formed Africa Area Presidency in Johannesburg, South Africa 1990-1992.
Von was then called as Mission President in the Alaska Anchorage Mission 1993-1996. Returning home from Alaska they moved to Alpine, Utah and were called to serve at the Provo MTC and as Ordinance Workers in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
Von passed away at his home in Alpine, Utah on Saint Valentine's Day, February 14, 2018 at the age of 90.
He is survived by his wife, Adrienne "Addy"; his eight children: Gregory (Brenda), Patrice Young (Gregory), Jeffrey (Alice), Julie Dunn (Brad), Jennifer Dame (Steven), Matthew, Kristen Powell (Christopher), Samuel; 26 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; brothers: Grant and Milton; and sisters: DeAnn (Baird), Evalee (Fish) and Melanie (Watkins).
He is predeceased by his parents Warner and Mary and brother, Gerald.
Viewings were held Friday evening 6:00 to 8:00 pm February 23, 2018 at the Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 N. 900 E. American Fork, Utah and again on Saturday morning February 24, 2018, 10:30 to 11:30, at the LDS Chapel, 901 Village Way, Alpine, Utah, followed by the funeral at 12:00 noon.
The interment was in the Alpine City Cemetery.
Von's daughter, Patrice Marie Gifford Young, wrote:
"So many wonderful memories of my daddy!"
DR. WARNER LaVON "VON" GIFFORD
(January 4, 1928 - February 14, 2018)
"Page Pioneer" dentist, Dr. W. LaVon Gifford, DDS, 90, and his family helped to birth "America's Last Frontier" -- Page, Arizona.
Warner LaVon Gifford was born January 4, 1928 in Boise, Idaho, the firstborn child of Warner Levi Gifford and Mary Ethel Harris.
LaVon or "Von" as he was called, grew up on various farms in the Boise Valley where he learned the value of hard work and was spiritually prepared for a lifetime of service to the Lord.
Shortly after graduating from Emmett Idaho High School, he joined the Marine Corps. Following this, he served a mission in the Northwestern States Mission.
He earned a good share of his dental education by working on construction on Hungry Horse Dam in Montana. He worked on concrete and in the tunnels and in many phases of construction on the dam. He said, "I discovered that these were my kind of people and people I wanted to work with and live with."
He met Adrienne Marie Peterson at BYU where they recognized each other from their growing up years in the Weiser, Idaho Stake. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 2, 1952. After BYU, they moved to Portland, Oregon where Von attended Dental School at the University of Oregon.
After graduation Von began his dental practice which lasted for over 30 years in Page, Arizona. Their lives as "pioneers" in the construction town of Page was filled with the joy and challenges of raising their eight children, taking care of Von's busy dental practice and serving in the schools and community.
He served the Lord in callings which included Bishop, Stake President's Counselor and Mission President's Counselor. With retirement, he and Adrienne began serving full time missions, beginning with the England Bristol Mission 1988-1989, followed by Executive Secretary to the newly formed Africa Area Presidency in Johannesburg, South Africa 1990-1992.
Von was then called as Mission President in the Alaska Anchorage Mission 1993-1996. Returning home from Alaska they moved to Alpine, Utah and were called to serve at the Provo MTC and as Ordinance Workers in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
Von passed away at his home in Alpine, Utah on Saint Valentine's Day, February 14, 2018 at the age of 90.
He is survived by his wife, Adrienne "Addy"; his eight children: Gregory (Brenda), Patrice Young (Gregory), Jeffrey (Alice), Julie Dunn (Brad), Jennifer Dame (Steven), Matthew, Kristen Powell (Christopher), Samuel; 26 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; brothers: Grant and Milton; and sisters: DeAnn (Baird), Evalee (Fish) and Melanie (Watkins).
He is predeceased by his parents Warner and Mary and brother, Gerald.
Viewings were held Friday evening 6:00 to 8:00 pm February 23, 2018 at the Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 N. 900 E. American Fork, Utah and again on Saturday morning February 24, 2018, 10:30 to 11:30, at the LDS Chapel, 901 Village Way, Alpine, Utah, followed by the funeral at 12:00 noon.
The interment was in the Alpine City Cemetery.
Von's daughter, Patrice Marie Gifford Young, wrote:
"So many wonderful memories of my daddy!"
(January 4, 1928 - February 14, 2018)
"Page Pioneer" dentist, Dr. W. LaVon Gifford, DDS, 90, and his family helped to birth "America's Last Frontier" -- Page, Arizona.
Warner LaVon Gifford was born January 4, 1928 in Boise, Idaho, the firstborn child of Warner Levi Gifford and Mary Ethel Harris.
LaVon or "Von" as he was called, grew up on various farms in the Boise Valley where he learned the value of hard work and was spiritually prepared for a lifetime of service to the Lord.
Shortly after graduating from Emmett Idaho High School, he joined the Marine Corps. Following this, he served a mission in the Northwestern States Mission.
He earned a good share of his dental education by working on construction on Hungry Horse Dam in Montana. He worked on concrete and in the tunnels and in many phases of construction on the dam. He said, "I discovered that these were my kind of people and people I wanted to work with and live with."
He met Adrienne Marie Peterson at BYU where they recognized each other from their growing up years in the Weiser, Idaho Stake. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 2, 1952. After BYU, they moved to Portland, Oregon where Von attended Dental School at the University of Oregon.
After graduation Von began his dental practice which lasted for over 30 years in Page, Arizona. Their lives as "pioneers" in the construction town of Page was filled with the joy and challenges of raising their eight children, taking care of Von's busy dental practice and serving in the schools and community.
He served the Lord in callings which included Bishop, Stake President's Counselor and Mission President's Counselor. With retirement, he and Adrienne began serving full time missions, beginning with the England Bristol Mission 1988-1989, followed by Executive Secretary to the newly formed Africa Area Presidency in Johannesburg, South Africa 1990-1992.
Von was then called as Mission President in the Alaska Anchorage Mission 1993-1996. Returning home from Alaska they moved to Alpine, Utah and were called to serve at the Provo MTC and as Ordinance Workers in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
Von passed away at his home in Alpine, Utah on Saint Valentine's Day, February 14, 2018 at the age of 90.
He is survived by his wife, Adrienne "Addy"; his eight children: Gregory (Brenda), Patrice Young (Gregory), Jeffrey (Alice), Julie Dunn (Brad), Jennifer Dame (Steven), Matthew, Kristen Powell (Christopher), Samuel; 26 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; brothers: Grant and Milton; and sisters: DeAnn (Baird), Evalee (Fish) and Melanie (Watkins).
He is predeceased by his parents Warner and Mary and brother, Gerald.
Viewings were held Friday evening 6:00 to 8:00 pm February 23, 2018 at the Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 N. 900 E. American Fork, Utah and again on Saturday morning February 24, 2018, 10:30 to 11:30, at the LDS Chapel, 901 Village Way, Alpine, Utah, followed by the funeral at 12:00 noon.
The interment was in the Alpine City Cemetery.
Von's daughter, Patrice Marie Gifford Young, wrote:
"So many wonderful memories of my daddy!"
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