Obituaries
The Reverend Clarence E. Sifford, Jr.
( October 2, 1935 - June 9, 2020 )
“Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:21) The Reverend Clarence E. Sifford, Jr. now resides with King Jesus and The Cloud of Witnesses on High, to begin a new adventure in Heaven on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2020, at the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery, located at 4500 Rimer Road in Concord, North Carolina, with Reverend Danielle DeNise, Director of Evangelical Missions ELCA NC Synod, and Reverend Carroll Robinson officiating. Reverend Sifford’s body will lie in state at Warlick Funeral Home on Thursday, June 11, 2020, until Friday, June 12, 2020, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The family will not be present during this time.
Born in Rimertown, NC on October 2, 1935, to the late Mary Roene Moser Sifford (Bonds) and Clarence E. Sifford, Sr., he was also preceded by his first wife, Margaret Faye Brunson Sifford; a son, Jonathan Carl Sifford; and two brothers, Kenneth Moser Sifford and Terry Dale Sifford. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School, and then obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College (Hickory), and a Master of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological South Seminary in Columbia, SC.
Pastor Sifford served as full-time senior pastor at New Jerusalem Union Church, Lexington, NC (June 1960-July 1962), New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Lexington, NC (September 1962 – May 1964), Mt. Herman Lutheran Church, Concord, NC (June 1964 – November 1973), Bethphage Lutheran Church, Lincolnton, NC (December 1973 – May 1990), Salem Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC (June 1990 – December 2000), Faith Lutheran Church, Faith, NC (January 2001 – April 2003 and June 2009 – December 2011), Lebanon Lutheran Church, Cleveland, NC (May 2003 – October 2005 and May 2013 – August 2015), St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Mt. Ulla, NC (September 2004 – April 2005), Old Organ Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC (November 2005 – March 2007), Amity Cleveland Church, Cleveland, NC (June 2007 – December 2008), and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC (November 2012 – April 2013. The ECLA Synod contacted him to supply on-call/interim at a variety of churches between 2013 – 2018.
Reverend Sifford was bestowed the distinguished honor of Pastor Emeritus by the congregation of Lebanon Lutheran Church.
In 1968, Clarence served as both pastor and policeman on the Concord Auxiliary Police Force where he served as chaplain for auxiliary and regular forces. He maintained a record of perfect score 100 marksman. Although he was a marksman on the pistol range, he vowed never to use a gun for anything other than paper targets.
He is survived by his wife, Sarah Heavner Hallman of Lincolnton, NC; a daughter, Susanne Sifford Edwards (Kenneth) of Elizabeth City, NC; two stepsons, Jeff Hallman (Tammy) of Sherrills Ford, NC, and Brad Hallman (Jennifer) of Lincolnton, NC; seven grandchildren, William Caleb Edwards (Darcy) of Camden, NC, Madison, Parker, Zachery, and Ethan Hallman, Elijah and Damean Fowler.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, 4201 N. Main Street, Columbia, SC 29203, or to the charity of one’s choice.
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2020, at the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery, located at 4500 Rimer Road in Concord, North Carolina, with Reverend Danielle DeNise, Director of Evangelical Missions ELCA NC Synod, and Reverend Carroll Robinson officiating. Reverend Sifford’s body will lie in state at Warlick Funeral Home on Thursday, June 11, 2020, until Friday, June 12, 2020, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The family will not be present during this time.
Born in Rimertown, NC on October 2, 1935, to the late Mary Roene Moser Sifford (Bonds) and Clarence E. Sifford, Sr., he was also preceded by his first wife, Margaret Faye Brunson Sifford; a son, Jonathan Carl Sifford; and two brothers, Kenneth Moser Sifford and Terry Dale Sifford. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School, and then obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College (Hickory), and a Master of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological South Seminary in Columbia, SC.
Pastor Sifford served as full-time senior pastor at New Jerusalem Union Church, Lexington, NC (June 1960-July 1962), New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Lexington, NC (September 1962 – May 1964), Mt. Herman Lutheran Church, Concord, NC (June 1964 – November 1973), Bethphage Lutheran Church, Lincolnton, NC (December 1973 – May 1990), Salem Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC (June 1990 – December 2000), Faith Lutheran Church, Faith, NC (January 2001 – April 2003 and June 2009 – December 2011), Lebanon Lutheran Church, Cleveland, NC (May 2003 – October 2005 and May 2013 – August 2015), St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Mt. Ulla, NC (September 2004 – April 2005), Old Organ Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC (November 2005 – March 2007), Amity Cleveland Church, Cleveland, NC (June 2007 – December 2008), and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC (November 2012 – April 2013. The ECLA Synod contacted him to supply on-call/interim at a variety of churches between 2013 – 2018.
Reverend Sifford was bestowed the distinguished honor of Pastor Emeritus by the congregation of Lebanon Lutheran Church.
In 1968, Clarence served as both pastor and policeman on the Concord Auxiliary Police Force where he served as chaplain for auxiliary and regular forces. He maintained a record of perfect score 100 marksman. Although he was a marksman on the pistol range, he vowed never to use a gun for anything other than paper targets.
He is survived by his wife, Sarah Heavner Hallman of Lincolnton, NC; a daughter, Susanne Sifford Edwards (Kenneth) of Elizabeth City, NC; two stepsons, Jeff Hallman (Tammy) of Sherrills Ford, NC, and Brad Hallman (Jennifer) of Lincolnton, NC; seven grandchildren, William Caleb Edwards (Darcy) of Camden, NC, Madison, Parker, Zachery, and Ethan Hallman, Elijah and Damean Fowler.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, 4201 N. Main Street, Columbia, SC 29203, or to the charity of one’s choice.
Posted on 10 Jun 2020
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125 Dave Warlick Drive
Lincolnton, NC 28092
704/735-2521