Lyle Gifford

Gifford Lyle, age 98, died on Tuesday, October 15. He was born in Philmont, NY, the only son of Clarence Gifford and his wife Maud Shutta. His mother died when he was a child and he was raised by his aunt, Hazel Stickles, while his father worked in a textile mill in Utica, NY. He joined his father as a teenager to work as an office boy in one of the mills. He became a foreman and eventually the manager of the Oneita Knitting Mills, at one time the largest textile mill under one roof in the nation. In 1930, he married Elizabeth O'Shea to whom he remained married for almost 72 years, until her death earlier this year. They moved to South Carolina in the 1950's when the mill relocated there. They eventually returned to New York State when he became manager of Champion Knitwear's plant near Rochester, NY. He retired in 1970. He was an amateur photographer, a stamp collector, and an avid reader of history. He and his wife moved to Minneapolis in 1989. He is survived by his son, Daniel and his wife Ann; grandchildren, Karen, Christine and Stephen; grandsons-in-law, Desai Rajesh and Michael Kurr; and great-grandchildren, Aman and Meera Desai. Memorial Service Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10 AM at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 4537 Third Ave S., Mpls. Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

Published on November 3, 2002