Elsie Ream Giffen, 94, of Chattanooga, died Sunday, September 30, 2007, at her home at Alexian Grove.
She was the last of her generation in her family.
A devoted and loving wife and mother, Elsie was the first female in her family to attend a four-year college, being graduated magna cum laude in English from Mac-Murray College of Jacksonville, Il., in 1935. After graduation, she worked as an editor for a Chicago publishing house and during World War II was an editor for the Mineral Wells, Tx., Index newspaper.
Then came contributions to the post-war boom-a family and full-time motherhood. However, that education came into play raising two boys, who would rather play ball than do schoolwork. Between making sure meals were on the table, pitching batting practice and monitoring the television controls, Elsie worked diligently to instill the importance of family and family time, the meaning of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” the value of education (she was ferocious when it came to English homework assignments) and the understanding that hard work never hurt anyone.
Elsie moved to Chattanooga in the 1950's with her husband, Cecil, closing a circle that began with her father, a Methodist minister, who served in Chattanooga as a private in the Union army during the Civil War. She enjoyed a lifelong love of books, newspapers and crossword puzzles, a love affair that never diminished even though she became blind late in life.
After Mineral Wells, she never worked full-time again, but she did part-time work at a Lookout Mountain gift shop and was a Gray Lady volunteer at Erlanger Hospital for many years.
Elsie was a member of Lookout Mountain Methodist Church for more than 30 years, and currently was a member of First-Centenary United Methodist Church.
At her 94th birthday celebration and Ream/Giffen family reunion in August, Elsie held court on family history as though it were yesterday with grace, poise and certainty of detail.
Mrs. Giffen was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Cecil E. Giffen. The Giffens were Chattanooga residents for more than 50 years.
She is survived by sons, Tom and his wife, Ellen, of Akron, Ohio, and Charles and his wife, Debbie, of Smyrna, Tn.; grandchildren, Margaret Giffen, of Akron, Jon Giffen and his wife, T.J., of Smyrna, Robert Giffen, of Fort Myers, Fl., Andrew Giffen, of Smyrna, and McHughson Chambers, of Austin, Tx.; and two great-grandchildren, Jordan and Aliyah. Very important adopted family included Velma and Bill McCamy and Eloise Lingerfelt, and finally, constant companion, Cocoa, the seventh in a long line of family Siamese cats.
A celebration of life service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Wann Funeral Home.
This will follow visitation with the family at the Wann Home from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday.
A gravesite service will be held for the family Wednesday afternoon at Forest Hills Cemetery, Chattanooga. The Rev. David Harr of First-Centenary United Methodist Church and Elsie’s sons, Tom and Charles, will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to either the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation for Leukemia research (c/o Meredith Cowden, 326 Inverness Road, Akron, OH 44313, or the Aliyah Giffen Fund-Raiser Trust Fund, through Bank of America, Smyrna Branch, Attn. Betty Watson, 589 South Lowery St., Smyrna, Tn., 37167.
Arrangements are by Wann Funeral Home, 4000 Tennessee Ave., Chattanooga.