Betty J. Gifford

Betty Jean Gifford, 92, passed away peacefully January 23rd, 2024. She was born In Dade County, Florida 8/8/1931 to the late Eugene “Gene” Sample and Pauline Allen Sample. She grew up in Fort Pierce, Florida where she graduated from St Lucie County High School. She was a member of the Masonic International Order of the Rainbow for girls. She then attended University of Florida and subsequently graduated from Massey Business College in Jacksonville, Fl. She was working at NAS Jacksonville, when she met and married her late husband Raleigh Eugene “Jack” Gifford. They were married in Fort Pierce March 1, 1952. Betty and Jack were proud of the fact that they were married for 68 years. Betty and Jack owned and operated Thrifty Bait and Tackle for over 30 years after Jack retired from the Navy. Betty loved reading, crocheting and puzzles. She was very fond of sweets, especially Chick-fil-A chocolate milkshakes.

Betty is survived by her daughter Jeannine Vick (Chris) of Vero Beach, Florida and her sister Edith (Glenn) Riner of Fort Lauderdale. She was preceded in Death by her brother Bobby Sample of Fort Lauderdale and her son David (Julie) Gifford of Jacksonville Florida. Betty was living with her granddaughter Amanda (Eric) Wood in Cataula, Georgia at the time of her death. She had seven grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.