GILFORD---- Virginia “Ginny” Clifford, 89, of Gilford, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 4, 2021, with her children and grandchildren by her side after a brief illness. She was the absolute center of her family’s universe, but never sought to be the center of attention. Ginny lived life to the fullest, right to the very end of her life. Her will and determination to continue doing things she enjoyed was what kept her going through tough times and health challenges. She loved completely and unconditionally. She shared the best parts of herself with everyone around her and enriched the lives of many in the Lakes Region area and beyond.
Ginny was born in New York City in 1932 to the late Harry and Grace Wiegand. While many of her early years were spent in New York, the family had purchased a property in Franklin, New Hampshire, which became a family farm where she first honed her gardening skills. After graduating from high school, Ginny chose the University of New Hampshire over the Rhode Island School of Design for her college education. It may surprise some to hear that while in high school and college, Ginny was a gifted trombone player and later encouraged her children to participate in band and the 4-H drum and bugle corps. Her love of plants and gardening led her to major in horticulture at UNH, but she never left her artistic abilities behind, winning a travel/tourism poster contest while still getting her hands dirty at the greenhouses and gardens she studied and worked in. Ginny married fellow UNH student, Robert Clifford in 1957 and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Horticulture at UNH while also starting her family. She set an example for future generations of what could be achieved with hard work and dedication.
The young family moved to a home on Tannery Hill Road in Gilford Village in 1959. With the arrival of more children, the family purchased a larger place next door, where Ginny resided until her passing. As a young mother she sewed clothing for herself and her children, made the most amazing Barbie wardrobes for her daughters and granddaughters, sewed wedding gowns and princess costumes, curtains and many pillow covers and wall hangings. She raised vegetables, fruits, and even chickens to feed her family fresh, local foods. She also became well known for making and decorating gorgeous Christmas wreaths and swags that decorated local churches and businesses throughout the community, along with her famous boxwood trees sold at local craft fairs.
In the early 70’s, when her youngest child was still a toddler, Ginny became a single mom with four children. She was determined to provide for her family and find a way to hold it together, no matter how difficult the challenge. She successfully juggled being a mom (and a dad), working long hours, running a household, and maintaining family ties with the father of her children and his extended family. She gave everything she had to raise her children properly. While working full time at Prescott’s Flower Shop in Laconia, Ginny also took classes at Plymouth State College toward a Master’s Degree in teaching. Just a few credits short of earning that degree, she was hired as the Belknap County 4-H Agent through UNH Cooperative Extension Service. This was, to say the very least, her dream job.
Ginny had been a 4-H member from childhood and later became a leader of one of the largest 4-H clubs – Cherry Valley – in the 60’s and early 70’s. She organized leaders, held countless classes for crafts, cooking, woodworking and sewing in her home, and sparked creativity in many children who grew up in the Gilford area. In her role as Belknap County Agent, she strove to expand programs into schools and also helped make the annual 4-H Fair a success, even if it meant mowing lawns or painting buildings into the evening hours after work.
After retiring from Cooperative Extension in 1995, Ginny began a new chapter which included selling crafts, blueberries, flowers, jellies and jams, delicious pies, and other baked goods at the local farmers market and various craft fairs. She also loved being able to spend more time with family, especially the new grandchildren that came along. During warmer months you would find her in one of the many flower or vegetable gardens around her home or at the farm in Franklin tending to her blueberries and fruit trees. That is, if she wasn’t watching a Red Sox game! It was well known she did not want to be distracted while watching her beloved Sox, especially when Jerry Remy was the announcer. Colder temps meant sewing, puzzles, Patriots games and reading lots of books. An avid birdwatcher and record keeper for the annual Audubon bird count, her birdseed buffet was well attended, at times by hungry bears. She was comforted through much of her life by the love of some very wonderful kitties, especially Sneakers, Zeke and C.C.
Ginny was a special soul who always offered unconditional love. Her home was a haven for many, especially if they were going through a rough time. All the qualities and quantities of her love were expressed in so many ways, and were well demonstrated through her kindnesses as well as her words. Her humble example showed how to be steadfast in the face of difficulty, how to be committed to family, friends and community, how to be patient and charitable, how to be firm but gentle, and how to always look for the good.
Ginny is survived by her son, Michael Clifford and his wife Donna; daughter, Patti Clifford; daughter, Sandy O’Brien and her husband Kevin; son Robert Clifford and his wife Angela; grandchildren include Benjamin Emery and his wife Holly, Aaron Clifford and his wife Nikki, Alexander Clifford and his wife Elena Arushanyan; Jordan Tankard, Alyson Lewis and her husband Ricardo, Rachel O’Brien, Beck O’Brien, Ella Clifford, and Norah Clifford; great-grandchildren include Taylor, Jackson and Ozzy Emery, Vincent and Allison Rieck, Lilliana Clifford, and Elijah and ZaCaria Lewis. Ginny was very close to her sisters, Barbara Robinson and Elizabeth “Betty” Wickens and cousin/sister Marylynne Weiner. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Joan Heckett and son-in-law, Doug Tankard. She will be dearly missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.
The family would like to extend sincere gratitude to the many doctors, nurses and medical staff who attended to Ginny over the years. She didn’t especially like going to the hospital, but always praised the caregivers and staff at LRGH. Meals-on-Wheels delivery drivers became special friends who she looked forward to seeing every week. Visiting nurses allowed her to live independently in the home she loved and never wanted to be away from for very long. Her deepest desire was to live out her days on Tannery Hill Road, and with the support of her family and those mentioned above, she was able to do so.
In accordance with her wishes, there will be no service or calling hours.
A Celebration of Ginny Clifford's wonderful life will be held on April 23, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon Street East, Laconia. When Ginny worked for UNH Cooperative Extension, her offices were located in the mill and she developed a special connection to this great Laconia treasure. The family will have information at the April gathering for those wishing to make contributions in Ginny's memory in lieu of flowers.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.wilkinsonbeane.com.