Clifford Eugene Achord, son of the late Lester Achord and Hazle (Farmer) Evans, was born April 30, 1936, in Jerico Springs, Missouri. He departed this life on October 25, 2024, at his home in Mountain Grove, Missouri, at the age of 88.
Clifford married Charlotte Maxine Stratton in June of 1955 in Lamar, Missouri. They had two children, Richard and Sharon. Clifford and Charlotte later divorced, and Charlotte has since passed away.
Clifford worked at Rocketdyne in Neosho, Missouri, for project Apollo. He transferred to the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to build a multi-computer command and launch facility. Afterwards, he worked at Bell Laboratories in Whippany, New Jersey, on missile defense; then transferred to McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis where he met his wife, Bona. They married in 1980 and began a farming operation where they acquired several farms. They both worked at McDonnell Douglas for a number of years until retiring from Corporate America. They devoted their energies to agriculture. In 2001, Clifford and Bona retired and moved to Mountain Grove where they remained until his death.
Clifford’s hobbies were operating tractors, bobcats and excavators. He also enjoyed repairing anything mechanical. His daughter called him “Mr. Fix-It.” He was an excellent mechanic and will be missed.
Clifford was preceded in death by his parents, Lester Achord and Hazle Evans; and younger brother, Marvin L. Achord.
Clifford is survived by his wife, Bona Achord; son, Richard Achord of Rogersville, Missouri; daughter, Sharon Blume of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; three step-daughters, Lynne Vanne of San Francisco, California, Lori Tahtinen of Aurora, Minnesota, and Shari Vanne of Hannibal, Missouri; two half-sisters, Karen Banta of Springfield, Missouri, and Corrine Boehne of Jerico Springs, Missouri; six step-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends who will miss him greatly.
