Barbara Jane Clifford, 85, Columbia City, went to her eternal home at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 at Miller’s Merry Manor where she was admitted on October 20.

She was born Sept. 14, 1931 in Preble County, Ohio, a daughter of Reece Daniel and Emma Mae (Jones) Davis. Her formative years were spent in Eaton. She graduated from Eaton High School and continued her education at Cincinnati Bible Seminary.

On Sept. 15, 1953 she was united in marriage to James A. Clifford. They made their first home in Scio, N.Y. and later New Paris, Ohio. They then transferred to Wayne and Enon before moving to Marion. They moved to Fort Wayne and by September 1969 to Jefferson Township, Whitley County where Jim was serving Saturn Christian Church and Laud Christian Church.

In addition to assisting Jim with serving the various congregations, she was employed as a secretary and lastly as a transcriptionist for a psychologist. She served as director of the Jefferson Township Vacation Bible School for many years and more recently on the board.

Her memberships included Laud Christian Church, CWF of which she served as president, Jefferson Home Extension Club, Indiana Association of Workers for the Blind Fort Wayne chapter and The Lakota Chapter of the American Council of the Blind.

Surviving relatives include her husband, Jim; four children, Howard Clifford, Mary Jane Clifford and Carolyn Clifford Hindbaugh, all of Columbia City; and Daniel (Connie Hawkins) Clifford of South Whitley; four grandsons, Colin (Kelly) Clifford, Phyneus James (Francine Melia) Scott, Scott A. Hindbaugh and Clifford Reece Hawkins; and two great grandchildren, Howard Michael Clifford and Phoebe Regan Clifford.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Ray Wiley Davis, Roy George Davis, Robert Martin Davis and Harold Stanley Davis; and a sister, Mary Etta Davis.

The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14 at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. The burial will be held at South Park Annex Cemetery. The visitation was held from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials are to Laud Christian Church.