Virginia Clegg Harford

Aug. 8, 1918 - March 3, 2009

HAIGLER - Virginia Clegg Harford, 90, of Haigler, died Tuesday (March 3, 2009) at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray.

She was born Aug. 8, 1918, at Sanborn to Lee and Florence Clegg. Her given name was Lorna Virginia, but family tradition had the middle name as the one commonly used.

She attended her first three years of school at the Sanborn School before moving to Haigler with her family where she was enrolled in Haigler Public Schools. Upon graduation she moved to California and did some post graduate work at Bell High School in Los Angeles, where she received another diploma. Having had music lessons all through her schooling years, and having played for Sunday evening church services and the Haigler Orchestra, she continued her career with music lessons at Bell High School and also from the Los Angeles Music Conservatory.

When she returned from California, she went to Chadron State Teacher's College to get a teaching certificate. Upon completing her certificate, she taught first and second grades at Parks Public Schools in Parks for two years. During that time she went back to Chadron over the summer to obtain her Primary School Teaching Methods certificate.

On Sept. 1, 1939, she was married Don Harford at her parent's home in Haigler by the Rev. John Stayton. They made their home north of Haigler in the Sandhills in the home Don's parents had homesteaded.

She was a member of the Sandhill Butterfly Extension Club; the 75 Club; WSCS, later known as the United Methodist Women; the Nebraska Farm Bureau; the Nebraska Federation of Women's Clubs; and the National Cattlewomen's Association. She also was a 4-H Leader while her children were active in 4-H.

On May 20, 1934, she joined the Haigler United Methodist Church where she sang in a quartet for funerals.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Florence Clegg; brothers, Stanley Clegg, Neal Clegg and Kent Clegg; brother-in-law, Ray Harford; and her father and mother-in-law, Harry and Margaret Harford.

Survivors include her husband, Don Harford, daughter Karen Harford and son, Gail Harford and wife, Wanda, all of Haigler; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (MST) at Haigler United Methodist Church in Haigler with the Rev. Carole Coates officiating. Interment will follow services at the Haigler Cemetery.

There will be no public visitation or viewing. The casket will be open at the church.

Memorials may be given in her name to the Haigler United Methodist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Forch Funeral Chapel of Benkelman.