Elsie Huffard

ELSIE HUFFARD

Memphis, TN: Elsie May Gross Huffard age 92 passed away August 10, 2019 at Kirby Pines in Memphis.

Mrs. Huffard was born March 26, 1927 in Tillamook, Oregon, and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona the daughter of the late Charles and Pearl Church Gross. She graduated from high school in Phoenix and attended Pepperdine University. She married Evertt Lee Huffard in 1947. Evertt and Elsie lived in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, where he served as a preacher. In 1963 they began thirteen years of service as missionaries in the Middle East, living in Jerusalem, Beirut (Lebanon) and Amman (Jordan).

They lived in Searcy for five years and moved to Henderson in 1979. Elsie finished her BA at Harding University in Searcy in 1972. After moving to Henderson to teach at Freed-Hardeman University, she got a Master’s in Science in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Memphis in 1982. She taught Social Science at Freed-Hardeman, retiring in 1992.

They moved to North Jackson in 2001. She taught ladies Bible class at the North Jackson Church of Christ for several years.

She traveled with her husband on many international mission trips including Russia, Africa, Yugoslavia, the Philippines, as well as the Middle East. They also organized Bible Land tours through Freed-Hardeman after their retirements.

She often presented Ladies’ Day Programs on Customs of the Bible Lands with her collection of Middle Eastern dresses.

She moved to Memphis in 2010 and made her home at Kirby Pines. She was a member of the Germantown Church of Christ.

Mrs. Huffard is survived by a son, Dr. Evertt W. Huffard and wife Ileene of Memphis, and a daughter, Dr. Elaine Denman and husband Darrell of Wichita, Kansas; four grandchildren, Jonathan Denman, Ellen Ferrell, Charissa Fuller and Stephen Huffard and eleven great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Evertt Lee Huffard (March 7, 2004) and two sisters, Alma Weatherly and Lucy Campbell.

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Thursday, at North Jackson Church of Christ with David Powell, Evertt W. Huffard, Darrell and Elaine Denman, and Jonathan Denman, officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Memorial Gardens in Jackson.

The family will receive friends Thursday at the North Jackson Church of Christ beginning at 9 AM until the 11 AM service time.

Memorials may be made to the Huffard Scholarship Fund at Freed-Hardeman University, 158 East Main Street, Henderson, TN 38340.

Shackelford Funeral Directors of Henderson
731-989-2421