John Raiford Obituary John William Raiford December 12, 1933 － April 21, 2023 Franklin － John William Raiford, known as Billy or Pop to his friends and family, passed away on Thursday April 21 after a short battle with lung cancer. Billy was born on December 12, 1933, and was a lifetime resident of Franklin, VA. After high school Billy worked at St. Regis until he joined the army in 1953. During his 2 ¬Ω year service, he was stationed in South Korea and Hokkaido, Japan. After his return in October 1955, he met and married the love of his life, Joan, his wife of 65 years. They enjoyed many happy years together until Joan‚Äôs death in December 2022. Billy worked at S.W. Rawls for 18 years and retired from the City of Franklin as a supervisor with Public Works after 23 years. Billy was skilled in a wide range of repairs and was always readily available to help his family, friends, and church. His motto was, "It‚Äôs good to be needed". He was the happiest when helping others and was involved in many projects including solving electrical problems, building decks, and troubleshooting water well issues. Billy was preceded in death by his wife, Joan Lowe Raiford, his parents, John Shelton and Sadie Bass Raiford, his sister Brenda Luna, and his son-in-law Lawrence Beale. Left to cherish his memory are his two daughters, Joann Gatten (Burdette) and Sue Beale both of Franklin, a sister Audrey Gagner of Franklin, his grandchildren, who affectionately refer to him as Pop, Gabby and Barclay Gatten and Megan and Miles Beale, and a special nephew, Noel Luna of Missouri. Billy‚Äôs family expresses very special thanks to the staff of the skilled care unit at Southampton Memorial Hospital where he was loved and received great care. A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Franklin Congregational Christian Church with the Rev. James H. Hyatt, Jr officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Franklin Congregational Christian Church, 412 N. High Street, Franklin, VA 23851. www.wrightfuneralhome.org Obituary published on Legacy.com by Wright Funeral Home and Crematory － Franklin on Apr. 24, 2023. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: 1) https://www.wrightfuneralhome.org/obituary/John-Raiford 2) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/john-raiford-obituary?id=51715740 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Narrative Summary of the Obituary: John William Raiford, known as Billy or Pop, passed away on 21 April 2023 at age 89 after a short battle with lung cancer. A lifelong resident of Franklin, Virginia, Billy served in the army and worked at St. Regis, S.W. Rawls, and the City of Franklin. He was known for his repair skills and willingness to help others. ### Narrative Summary of Funeral Services: A memorial service was held on 1 May 2023 at Franklin Congregational Christian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations were made to the church. ## The Edited Obituary John Raiford Obituary John William Raiford 12 December 1933 - 21 April 2023 Franklin - John William Raiford, known as Billy or Pop to his friends and family, passed away on Thursday 21 April 2023 after a short battle with lung cancer. Billy was born on 12 December 1933 and was a lifetime resident of Franklin, VA. After high school Billy worked at St. Regis until he joined the army in 1953. During his 2-year service, he was stationed in South Korea and Hokkaido, Japan. After his return in October 1955, he met and married the love of his life, Joan, his wife of 65 years. They enjoyed many happy years together until Joan's death in December 2022. Billy worked at S.W. Rawls for 18 years and retired from the City of Franklin as a supervisor with Public Works after 23 years. Billy was skilled in a wide range of repairs and was always readily available to help his family, friends, and church. His motto was, "It's good to be needed". He was the happiest when helping others and was involved in many projects including solving electrical problems, building decks, and troubleshooting water well issues. Billy was preceded in death by his wife, Joan Lowe Raiford, his parents, John Shelton and Sadie Bass Raiford, his sister Brenda Luna, and his son-in-law Lawrence Beale. Left to cherish his memory are his two daughters, Joann Gatten (Burdette) and Sue Beale, both of Franklin, a sister Audrey Gagner of Franklin, his grandchildren, who affectionately refer to him as Pop, Gabby and Barclay Gatten and Megan and Miles Beale, and a special nephew, Noel Luna of Missouri. Billy's family expresses very special thanks to the staff of the skilled care unit at Southampton Memorial Hospital where he was loved and received great care. A memorial service will be held on Monday 1 May at 2:00 p.m. at Franklin Congregational Christian Church with the Rev. James H. Hyatt, Jr officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Franklin Congregational Christian Church, 412 N. High Street, Franklin, VA 23851. www.wrightfuneralhome.org ### Vital Statistics Summary | Name | John William Raiford | |---------|--------------------------------| | Age | 89 | | Birth | 12 December 1933; Franklin, VA | | Death | 21 April 2023; Franklin, VA | ### Table of Relationships | Name | Relationship | Residence | |-------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------| | John William Raiford | Decedent | Franklin, VA | | Joan Lowe Raiford | Predeceased Spouse | -- | | John Shelton Raiford | Predeceased Parent | -- | | Sadie Bass Raiford | Predeceased Parent | -- | | Joann Gatten (Burdette) | Child | Franklin, VA | | Sue Beale | Child | Franklin, VA | | Gabby Gatten | Grandchild | Franklin, VA | | Barclay Gatten | Grandchild | Franklin, VA | | Megan Beale | Grandchild | Franklin, VA | | Miles Beale | Grandchild | Franklin, VA | | Audrey Gagner | Sibling | Franklin, VA | | Brenda Luna | Predeceased Sibling | -- | | Lawrence Beale | Predeceased Son-in-law | -- | | Noel Luna | Nephew | Missouri | ## Other Relevant Information 1. John William Raiford was known as Billy or Pop to his friends and family. 2. After high school, Billy worked at St. Regis until he joined the army in 1953. During his 2-year service, he was stationed in South Korea and Hokkaido, Japan. 3. After returning from the army in October 1955, Billy met and married Joan Lowe, his wife of 65 years. 4. Billy worked at S.W. Rawls for 18 years and retired from the City of Franklin as a supervisor with Public Works after 23 years. 5. Billy was skilled in a wide range of repairs and was always readily available to help his family, friends, and church. His motto was, "It's good to be needed". 6. Billy was the happiest when helping others and was involved in many projects including solving electrical problems, building decks, and troubleshooting water well issues.