Mary Elizabeth Milks Alford

Mary Elizabeth (Milks) Alford passed away on Monday, February 17, 2020, in Tallahassee. Mary was born in Garrett, Indiana on August 13, 1923, the daughter of Bert and Georgia Milks. She was the third of four daughters. Mary graduated from Garrett High School in 1941, attended Indiana University and graduated from Georgia State University in Business Education. She was a musician and played the cornet in the Garrett HS band and played the piano. She enjoyed using both of these talents for many years in various activities. On April 10, 1943, Mary married James A. Alford, her high school sweetheart. Jim was in IU medical school, Indianapolis at the time. Their oldest child was born during medical school; Jim had an internship in Minneapolis, MN where their second child was born. They next moved to Danville, IL for Jim’s Army service where they had a third child. In 1948, the Alfords moved to Hamilton, Indiana where Jim set up a practice in General Medicine and they had two more children. In 1961, the Alfords moved to Atlanta where Jim did a residency in psychiatry and in 1973 they moved to Tallahassee, FL where Jim taught in a Family practice residency program. Mary was active in the church and many clubs in Hamilton, Atlanta and Tallahassee, often serving as president and many other offices. Mary was preceded in death by her husband in 2005 and two of her sisters, Ruth Milks White and Lucille Milks Fair, son-in-law James Gramling, and grandson Jeffery Morris. She is survived by a sister, Josephine Milks Spade of Warren, Indiana. Her five children also survive: Joan Alford and James A. Alford, Jr. (Janet) both of Chelsea, Michigan; Georgia Alford (Al) Morris and Catherine Alford (Steve) Rotch both of Pickens, SC; and Patricia Alford Gramling of Tallahassee. Mary has 10 grandchildren: Amy Morris, James A, Alford, III (Andrea), Todd Morris (Molly), John David Alford (Jennifer), Mary Gramling (Stephanie), Annette Rotch (Thomas), James Gramling, Jennifer Rotch (Alan Belford), Christopher Rotch (Amanda) and Jarrod Rotch. Mary also has fifteen great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 4:00PM on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 3158 Shamrock Street S, Tallahassee, FL 32309 (850-893-0617). In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Mary’s name may be made to Fellowship Presbyterian Church, the James A. Alford, M.D. Endowment at the FSU Foundation, 325 W College Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301-1403 or a favorite charity. Rocky Bevis of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the Alford family with their arrangements.

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Mary Elizabeth Milks Alford

August 13, 1923 - February 17, 2020