[ OBITUARIES 3 ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jan 19, 2001 by Capital-Journal

Bessie Biggs

RAYMORE, Mo. --- Bessie H. Biggs, 101, Raymore, died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2001, at a Raymore nursing home.

She was born May 8, 1899, in Rogers, Ark., the daughter of Green and Harriet Voltz Sutton.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin A. Biggs.

Survivors include three sons, Arthur Biggs, Topeka, Marvin Biggs, Wichita, and Ronald Biggs, Crossville, Tenn.; two daughters, Gwen Charles, Raymore, and Betty Owens, Reeds Spring, Mo.; a sister, Frankie Alumbaugh, Topeka; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Allen Methodist Church in Allen, Kan. Burial will be in Allen Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church in Raymore or to the First Methodist Church in Allen, sent in care of Cullen Funeral Home in Raymore.

John Gilliford Sr.

MERRIAM --- Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Queen of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Overland Park for John Woodrow Gilliford Sr., 59, Merriam. He died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2001, at his home.

Mr. Gilliford was legal counsel in the insurance industry. He had been vice president at Employers Reinsurance Corp. and H&W Underwriters and executive vice president of Frankona Reinsurance Corp. He served in the Army National Guard during the Vietnam War.

He was born Oct. 22, 1941, in Kansas City, Kan., the son of James "Woody" and Mary Alice Cashin Gilliford. He graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1959 and earned a bachelor's degree in economics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1967. He earned a juris doctorate at UMKC in 1972 and moved to Merriam in 1973.

Mr. Gilliford was a member of Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Overland Park and a third-degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a scoutmaster at St. Pius X in the 1970s and assistant scoutmaster for Troop No. 295 since the 1980s. He helped his two sons achieve the Eagle Scout Award.

He married Marthann Wolken on Aug. 19, 1967, in Scipio. She survives.

Other survivors include two sons, John Gilliford Jr., Overland Park, and Stephen Arnold Gilliford, Merriam; a daughter, Mary Kathryn Gilliford, San Francisco; three brothers, James Gilliford, Kansas City, Mo., Paul Gilliford, Lenexa, and Mike Gilliford, Kansas City, Kan.; three sisters, Sharon Schnieders, Ottawa, and Mimi Sieber and Pam Gilliford, both of Kansas City, Kan.; and his mother, Mary Alice Gilliford, Kansas City, Kan.

Burial will be in St. Boniface Cemetery in Scipio. A wake service will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Overland Park.

Contributions may be made to the John Gilliford Memorial Fund and sent in care of Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel in Garnett.

Nancy Jo Guiot

CHANUTE --- Nancy Jo Guiot, 60, Chanute, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2001, at her home following a long illness.

Mrs. Guiot was a registered nurse and had worked at the Medical Lodge in Eureka for two years before she retired because of failing health.

She was born Feb. 29, 1940, in Wichita, the daughter of John W. Nelson and Mary Beatrice Kelly Nelson. She was raised in Wichita and later lived in Bartlesville, Okla., and McPherson, where she graduated from high school. She had lived in Hamilton, Kingman, Chanute and Marshalltown, Iowa, before she retuned to Chanute.

Mrs. Guiot was a member of Living Word Assembly Church in Chanute.

She married Alfred Guiot in McPherson in 1960. They were divorced.

Survivors include four sons, Johnny Clayton Guiot, Chanute, Jeffrey Hamilton Guiot, Cedar City, Utah, Joey Alfred Guiot, Buckner, Mo., and Jason Ira Guiot, Kansas City, Mo.; two brothers, Ralph Eugene Nelson, Lake Charles, La., and Jerry William Nelson, McPherson; and 10 grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Living Word Assembly Church in Chanute. Burial will be in Neosho County Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Chanute Christian Academy Scholarship Fund or to the Fire Escape Coffee House, and sent in care of Gibson-Koch-Friskel Funeral Chapel in Chanute.

Marvel Watson

OSBORNE --- Marvel P. Watson, 90, Osborne, died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2001, at an Osborne nursing home.

Mrs. Watson taught in one-room school houses in Osborne County for many years.

She was born Dec. 23, 1910, in Osborne County, the daughter of Clyde Bliss and Lillie Carlin.

Mrs. Watson was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Osborne, the Altar Society at the church, the auxiliary to Post No. 7743 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Fidelia Club in Osborne.

She married Durward Watson on June 6, 1938. He died in 1983. Mrs. Watson also was preceded in death by a son, Terry Watson, in 1982.

Survivors include two grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Osborne. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Services Inc. or to Masses for St. Aloysius Catholic Church, sent in care of Clark- Gashaw Funeral Home in Osborne.