HAROLD ALFORD

AAFA #0169

1914 TX – 1998 TX

 

Harold Alford with his daughter, Jann Alford Harper

 

 

HOUSTON COUNTY COURIER

Crockett, Houston Co., TX—26 March 1998

 

            Harold Alford, a member of a pioneer Houston County family, was born Jan. 5, 1914 near Austonio. He passed away on March 12, 1998 at the East Texas Medical Center Crockett.

            Mr. Alford was the second of four sons born to Willie Owen Alford and Emily Ann Hiroms Alford. He was baptized at the Methodist Church in the Creek Community where he developed a lifelong love for southern traditional church singing. He graduated from Austonio High School where some of his basketball records were never broken. He went on to play basketball for Sam Houston State Teacher’s College in Huntsville. Mr. Alford was a World War II veteran of the United States Navy, having served on the USS Alcor in the Pacific Ocean [sic—actually Atlantic Ocean]. After the war, he began a long and successful career in the oilfield supply business, eventually forming the Alford Supply Company.

            Mr. Alford was a true southern gentleman, a friend to all, and a benefactor to animals. He never said an unkind word about his fellow man; and he upheld the strictest code of ethics and moral character. He was a 50-year member of the Gray Masonic Lodge in Houston, and an original member of the Big Red Roundtable at the University of Houston which paved the way for the first Alumni Booster Club to be formed.

            Mr. Alford was preceded in death by his older brother, Charles M. Alford of Austonio.

            Survivors include his beloved wife of 57 years, Juanita Johnson Alford, whom he met while she was teaching school in Austonio; only child, Jann Alford Harper [AAFA #0195] and husband, Kermit L. [Harper] of Houston; granddaughters, Claudette Harper Brown and Angeline Lee Harper of Houston; brothers, W.M. Alford and Dorman Alford of Austonio.

            Funeral services for Mr. Alford were held Saturday, March 14 at 1:30 p.m. in the Callaway-Allee Memorial Chapel.... Interment followed in the Creek Cemetery.

            Pallbearers were Wendell Alford, Bill Alford, W. D. Alford, Kenneth Alford, Steven West, and Kermit L. Harper....

 

Photo from Creek Cemetery, Lovelady, Houston Co., TX—www.findagrave.com

Permission granted by the photographer, Cecil Vaden Jr.

 

AAFA NOTES: SSDI records confirm the birth and death dates of Harold Alford (SS# issued in TX), last residence Houston, Harris Co., TX.

            We included the obituaries of his wife, Juanita Johnson Alford; and brothers Charles Milton Alford, Dorman Alford, and William Malcolm Alford (AAFA #0198) in Texas Obituaries.

            Detailed information on Harold’s Alford ancestry was included with his “In Remembrance” article in AAFA ACTION, Winter 1999.

            His lineage: Harold 1914 TX¹, William Owen 1886 TX², Charles Montgomery 1860 MS³, Francis A. 1829 MS⁴, Halcut 1789 GA⁵, Julius 1750 NC⁶, Lodwick 1710 VA⁷, James 1687 VA⁸, John 1645 VA⁹.