Mary Lorene Gifford

An Oklahoma native, she was born in Eastman, a community in Love County, nearby Marietta. Being one of thirteen children, it was instilled in her from an early age to be family-oriented. There, together, they lived through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, picked cotton for a penny a bushel; never above working hard to live modestly. Years later, she took on a job for a local department store in Wichita, where she stayed until her earned retirement after 23 years of service.

She made her home in various places, from California to Oregon, but, a true Midwesterner at heart, she called Wichita home for over seventy years.

A mother to three children; she was also an avid reader, and an excellent cook. Her home was always open, and her determination to do right by others was unwavering. Her devotion to doing right in life meant her mind could always be changed. She would never claim, only ever aspire to be; and without a doubt she was: the definition of a true Christian, in that, the good things she did, which were most, if not all, things, she did because “that’s just what you do.”

She was preceded in death by her parents; five sisters; seven brothers; her husband; her son and her youngest daughter; and two grandsons.

She is survived by her eldest daughter; her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside service will be Monday August 18, 2025 at 3pm at Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

Arrangements are being entrusted to Resthaven Mortuary in Wichita, Kansas.