JOHN ROGERS
ALFORD
AAFA #0200
1928 TX – 2008 TX
Photo from Austin
American-Statesman
AUSTIN
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Austin,
Travis Co., TX—Tuesday, 15 April 2008
John
Rogers Alford, Jr. died at home Sunday, April 13. He is preceded in death by
his son, John Rogers Alford III; his sister, Ella Langdon Alford [AAFA #0246]
and his parents, Susan Landon Alford and John Rogers Alford, Sr.
Mr.
Alford was born in Dallas, Texas, August 1, 1928. He spent his entire childhood
in Henderson, Texas, graduating from Henderson High School. He graduated from
Southern Methodist University with a degree in business, where he was a member
of ATO fraternity. He served in the US Army during the Korean War era.
John’s
survivors include his wife Frances Holliday Alford; daughter Elizabeth Alford
Young and son-in-law James Michael Young; his grandchildren James Alford Young
and Clara Elliott Young; his brother Landon Alford [AAFA #0002] and
sister-in-law Phyllis Potthast Alford; his nephews Eugene Landon Alford, MD,
Benson Warren Alford, David Alford and Allen McDonald and nieces Margaret
McDonald Newton and Susan Lee McDonald James. He had two god children, Sarah
Seawright and Elliott Francis Holliday Weeks.
He
was previously married to Barbara Shaw Alford and Margie Stewart Alford.
Mr.
Alford lived in Austin, Texas and engaged in business from the late 50’s until
the present. He was a partner in Alford Investments and Alford Land Company
both of Henderson, and president of Alford Outdoor Advertising here in Austin.
Mr.
Alford supported a variety of philanthropic causes. He was on the board of the
John R. and Susan Landon Alford Foundation in Henderson. He was most proud of
his support of Southern Methodist University and their Life Sciences Learning
Lab, the Boy Scouts of America and various alcoholism recovery organizations.
In addition he and Frances supported the National Peace Corps Association, The
Austin Symphony, The Austin Museum of Art and the Blanton Museum, St. Edwards
University, Huston-Tillotson University, Hospice Austin, Easter Seals,
Alzheimer’s Research and a host of other organizations. John made it possible
for a number of young people to complete their college education.
He
was an enthusiastic sailor, fisherman and naturalist throughout his life. He was
an early member of the Austin Yacht Club, instrumental in building the docks
and club house there and racing for many years. In 1975 he sailed from Houston
to the Bahamas along the Intercoastal Canal and Gulf of Mexico over the course
of several months.
Visitation
will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15th at
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday,
April 16, 2008 at the Congregational Church, 408 W. 23rd St, in Austin.
Committal services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 17th at
Lakewood Memorial Cemetery in Henderson, Texas. Obituary and guestbook online
at http://wcfish.com.
Photo
from Lakewood Memorial Park, Henderson, Rusk Co., TX—www.findagrave.com
Permission
granted by the photographer, Elaine Sweeney
AAFA NOTES: SSDI records confirm the birth
and death dates of John Rogers Alford (SS# issued in TX), last residence
Austin, Travis Co., TX.
We
included the obituary of his sister Miriam Ella Langdon Alford, AAFA #0246, in
Arkansas Obituaries.
John
attended AAFA’s second annual meeting in Houston. Both his sister Ella and
brother Landon are AAFA members.
We
published a short biography
of John’s father, John Rogers Alford Sr., in AAFA ACTION, December 1988.
A
biography
of John’s paternal grandfather, Egbert Benson Alford, was published in A
History of Texas and Texans, Volume III, by Frank W. Johnson (Chicago:
American Historical Society, 1914). We reprinted it in AAFA ACTION,
Summer 1999.
John’s
lineage: John Rogers 1928 TX1, John Rogers 1885 TX2,
Egbert Benson 1858 AL3, John Rogers 1810 GA4, Kinchen
1779 ?? 5, James 1741 NC/VA6, Lodwick 1710 VA7,
James 1687 VA8, John 1645 VA9.
