NORWICH – Gifford M. Smith, 85, of Phoenix, Ariz. passed away peacefully on March 28, 2007.
He is survived by his children: Gifford Smith, Jr. of West Lake Village, Calif., Deborah Black of Arizona, Catherine Wagganer of Hubert, N.C., his grand children Kimberly Black & Christopher Black, his great-grandson Ethan Black, and his step grandchildren Eddie Shelton, Kerri Shelton & Matthew Simon. He is predeceased by his loving wife Patricia Card Smith, and his cousins Robert Gifford and Richard Gifford.
Giff was born in Norwich on Nov. 14, 1921, to Ray I. and Alta Smith. In 1961 he and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he continued his devotion to his family and his love of soaring glider planes. Giff served in the Army Air Corp in World War II and graduated from Parks Air College in St. Louis, Missouri. For 27 years he lived “One Day At A Time” as a man of integrity and joyfullness, who will be missed by everyone.