James Paul Gifford

James Paul Gifford, age 77, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. He was a recently voted in member of Valleyview Baptist Church. For more than 25 years, he played bass guitar, sharing his love of Southern gospel music with Happy Harmony. He worked for many dedicated years at Harts Auto Parts. Paul enjoyed boating, fishing, building and collecting model cars and boats, and his old westerns.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents Onus Paul Gifford and Iver Maudie Raughton, and his loving wife Phyllis Lenora Johnson.
He is survived by his three sons David Johnson, Tim (Debbie) Gifford, Steve (Elizabeth) Gifford; his siblings Deborah Evans, Vickie (Lee) Henderson, and Wendell (Brenda) Gifford; his grandchildren Rebecca (Noah) Goodson, and Sean Gifford; his great grandchildren Lucinda Goodson and Aurora Goodson; and several nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
The family invites friends to join us in remembering and honoring Paul on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 4pm to 8pm, Friday, March 6, 2026, from 9am to 11am. The funeral service will be held at the Chapel W.L. Wilson & Sons Funeral Home 555 West Cloud Springs Road, Fort Oglethorpe, at 11am on Friday, March 6, 2026. After the service, we will proceed to Lakewood Memory Gardens for the burial. Pallbearers will be Mike Johnson, Brian Lawrence, Jason Hembree, Sean Gifford, Noah Goodson, and Charlie Colts. Honorary Pallbearers are Randy Harrison, Jimmy Harrison, Dean Harbour, Alex Ramey, Harold McCormick, and Gerald Raughton. Your prayers and support mean a lot to us during this challenging time, and we genuinely appreciate them.
An Online guest book can be found at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com. W. L. Wilson & Sons Funeral Homes, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, is handling the funeral arrangements.