Patricia “Pat” Alford, wife of Richard Alford, an associate with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), died following a May 7 traffic accident.
According to Gary Swafford, director of the office of church planting/associational missions for the SBOM, Pat Alford was killed when the couple had a head-on collision with a 17-year-old girl who had swerved into their lane while the Alford were traveling on U.S. Highway 45 between Mobile and Citronelle.
The Mobile Register reported that the girl was killed instantly. Pat and Richard were taken to the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, where Pat passed away. Richard was examined and released May 8 with a fractured wrist and ankle, according to Swafford. Richard is an association in the office of church planting/associational missions and works with church and community ministries and language/ethnic church planting.
He is also the state director of Alabama Raceway Ministries. Richard and Par were appointed as missionaries by the North American Mission Board in the 1970s, Swafford said.
Rick Lance, executive director of the SBOM, said, “The state board family mourns the passing of Pat Alford. She gave evidence of a deep love of missions in her travels with Richard.”
Because the Alfords had decided to donate their bodies to science, a funeral service was not held for Pat. Instead, a memorial service will be held May 22 at First Baptist Church, Montgomery. The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Patricia Alford Memorial Fund to benefit the Deaf Children’s Youth Camp at Shocco Springs.
Checks should be made payable to The Baptist Foundation of Alabama and mailed to the Foundation at P.O. Box 4773, Montgomery, AL 36103.
(TAB)
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