Brenda Boyd Gulliford
Brenda Boyd Gulliford, age 51 of Edmond Oklahoma, died Friday December 12, 2008 at her home.
Born October 21, 1957 to Lloyd and Elsie Boyd and raised in Marion County, she was educated at Ohio State University and Mt. St. Joseph College. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ohio State, in the top 3% of her class, earning the degrees Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Education. She served on Governor Celeste's Panel for Innovative Elementary Education in the 1980's. Throughout her life, Brenda wrote poetry. She has had numerous poems published over the years, and won several prestigious awards for her work. An anthology of her poems was published in 2001, titled Words Within. The book sold over 10,000 copies and now is in use in numerous university level poetry courses around the nation. Brenda taught in the Marion City Schools for many years and substituted in several other districts until her retirement in 2002. She was also a very talented cook, winning 4 different chili cook offs over the years. Brenda and her husband, Deryl enjoyed traveling, having been to over 22 countries. She had a great passion for Ohio State Buckeye Football; She loved her Buckeyes!!
On July 28, 1978 she married Deryl Gulliford in Green Camp and he survives in Edmond, Oklahoma. She is also survived by her parents, Lloyd and Elsie Boyd, Prospect; brother and sisters, Jamie, Linda, Shary; and mother and father-in-law, Eddie and Cora Jane Gulliford, Green Camp.
Memorial services will be held Sunday, December 21, 2008 at 2:00 PM in the Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home, Richwood, with Pastor Bill Snyder officiating.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Brenda Gulliford Memorial Scholarship Fund, C/O Marion Community Foundation, 504 S State Street, Marion, OH 43302.
Condolences and remembrances may be expressed at www.stofcheck-ballingerfuneralhome.com
Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home