Frederick "Fred" Barney Gifford II, 91, of Norton, MA, passed away on Friday, March 1, 2019. He was the beloved husband for 38 years of Jean E. (Swanson) Gifford.
Born on February 16, 1928 in Providence, RI, he was the son of the late Seth B. and Irene W. (Seamans) Gifford.
A 1946 graduate of Cranston (RI) High School, he served two years in the U.S. Navy before attending Brown University, graduating in 1952.
Fred worked for 37 years for Amica Mutual Insurance Company retiring as a Claims Executive. He earned the professional designations Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU).
A resident of Norton for the past three years, Fred previously lived in Attleboro, MA, East Greenwich, RI, and Ohio. He was a member of Evangelical Covenant Church in Attleboro and served as Church Chairman, Stewardship Chairman, and long-time Head Usher. A lifelong golfer, he was a long-time member of Highland Country Club in Attleboro. As a trumpet player from the age of eight, he performed with many musical groups, most recently with The Rhode Island Shriners Brass Band and The Providence Civic Orchestra of Senior Citizens. He sailed on Narragansett Bay and coastal waters for more then 40 years as a member and past Commodore of the East Greenwich Yacht Club. As a Mason, he belonged to the Scottish Rite, Rhode Island Shrine, The Grotto, Royal Order of Jesters, and Royal Order of Scotland. He skied for more than 60 years and ski patrolled for 11 years as a member of The National Ski Patrol. He was a competitive pistol shooter and a member of the Varnum Continentals Pistol team in East Greenwich for seven years, and he achieved the Sharp Shooter designation with the National Rifle Association. He was a life member of the Squantum Association in RI serving as their Historian for many years. He arranged quarterly lunches for his Cranston Old Gang with whom he was friends for over 75 years. In Ohio, he was active in Sports Car clubs and events. He was President of two clubs and earned over 50 trophies competing in his 1953 MG TD.
In addition to his wife, Jean, he leaves his children: Cynthia C. Currie of Bedford, NH; and Deborah L. Pansen and her husband Dave, of Cumming, GA; and Jean's children: Robin L. Anderson and her husband Bob of Roseville, CA; and John E. Hogberg and his wife Ronda, of Barrington, RI; his grandchildren: Jamie and Kevin Currie; Eric and Dana Pansen; Kirsten (Sands) and Matthew Anderson; and Carisa, Axel, and Nella Hogberg; five great-grandchildren; his sister Constance I. and the late John Munro of Hot Springs Village, AR; nieces, nephews and extended family. He was married to the late Barbara L. (Uebel) Ruddock from 1956 through 1976.
Friends and family are cordially invited to attend a Funeral Service on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Evangelical Covenant Church, 841 North Main Street, Attleboro, MA.
Private Graveside Services will be held in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, RI.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Fred's memory to Shriners Hospitals for Children at donate.lovetotherescue.org
For additional information or to send the family a written expression of sympathy, please visit an online guest book at
www.dyer-lakefuneralhome.com
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Arrangements are under the direction of the Dyer-Lake Funeral Home, 161 Commonwealth Avenue, Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro. (508) 695-0200