David F. Difford

David Forrer Difford December 21, 1915 - August 22, 2021 David Difford completed a long and eventful journey of 105 years on August 22, 2021. He was born in Philadelphia, PA to Wallace and Gladyse Difford. David moved with his family to Louisville, KY. He attended Louisville Male High School and then went on to receive a Bachelors degree, majoring in engineering at the University of Kentucky in 1936. He was a member of the ROTC and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserve. His first job was selling plaster in rural Kentucky and in 1938 he moved with his family to Washington State in the spring of that year. In June of 1941 he was called to active duty and was stationed at Randolph Field in Universal City, TX. He then went on to Enid Oklahoma as a Civil Engineer to help build a permanent base there (Vance Air Base). This included leading military personnel and hiring and managing construction contractors. When he arrived, there was nothing but fields. He oversaw the building of runways and buildings to include three swimming pools, fire dept and taxi strips. He liked working on building the best. At the end of WWII he was sent to Hickam Air Base, HI to help set up and organize the Fire Dept. He was honorably discharged in 1945. He then married Sally Hunt from Tacoma, WA and was married for 48 years when she passed. David worked with his father in the plywood industry building houses and worked on the introduction of marketing plywood. He mainly worked in the Pacific Northwest with a short interlude in California and China. He worked on the development of St Helens timber in Lewis River and Cowlitz Counties watersheds; then to Singapore to coordinate US ideas with International Executive Service Corps (IESC), which was sponsored by David Rockefeller. David retired from the plywood business in 1976. After retirement he continued consulting and working on community projects (Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Medical Center). David also volunteered at local grade schools with the Host reading program. David later met Diane King thru a mutual friend and they were married. Together they traveled, golfed, and supported many community projects. They received the Community Foundation "Lifetime of Giving Award". Also, David Forrer Difford day was proclaimed by Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle on his 105th birthday. David was preceded in death by his parents, former wife Sally, brother Wallace Difford Jr, sisters Gloria Crawford and Genevie Nichols. He is survived by his wife Diane, step-daughters Debbi Gurney and husband Charlie, Cindi Goodman and husband Ron, step-son Jack King Jr and wife (Diane); nieces Dana Difford and Paula Renshaw and husband Jim; 3 step-grandchildren and 5 step great - grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was a life member and past president of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Delta Epsilon Chapter, Louisville KY and past president of the Royal Oaks Country Club. He was also an avid golfer, loved cooking, tutoring, and traveling. He was a friend to all. A memorial service celebrating his life will be at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Saturday, Sept 18, 2021 at 1230. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Meals on Wheels, 700 NE 136th Ave, Vancouver WA 98689; Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, PO Box 525, Vancouver, WA 98666, or Alzheimer's Assoc of Oregon and SW Washington, 1650 NE Naito Pkwy, Ste 190, Portland, OR 97209.