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Helen Mason Woodland Clifford, 97, the wife of the late Rev. Richard Clifford, died Nov. 16. Her funeral was held Nov. 21, at Simpson-Hamline UMC with the Rev. Yvonne Mercer-Staten officiating.

As a widow, Helen Woodland married the widower, the Rev. Richard Clifford, in 1980, while he was serving as Superintendent of the Annapolis District. He had been a pastor in the Washington Conference before it was merged with the Baltimore Conference in 1968. He was appointed superintendent in 1976 and retired in 1983. He died suddenly in March, 1990.

She worked in the Census Bureau of the Federal Government until she retired in 1975.

Helen Clifford joined Simpson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church in 1927 and faithfully served the church in a wide variety of capacities. In the 1930s and 40s, she was president of the Women's Society of Christian Service, the forerunner of the United Methodist Women. Throughout the next four decades, she served on the church's Council on Ministries, Worship Committee, Altar Guild, Pastor-Parish Committee, as Lay Member to Annual Conference and as chair of the Church Council. At the conference level, Clifford served as treasurer of the United Methodist Women.

"She has been a blessing for the United Methodist Church on the local, district and conference levels for 78 years," said the obituary at her funeral. "She has labored with pride, love and respect alongside 14 appointed pastors, countless officers and hundreds upon hundreds of church members."

Clifford enjoyed traveling to many places in Europe, the Holy Land, Hawaii and Alaska, as well as many other states.

She had no children. Survivors include three step-daughters, Sharon Gill of Baltimore, Linda Faison of Washington, D.C., and Nancy Hill of Baltimore; four grandchildren and three nieces, R. Barbara Johnson, Hattie Adams and Ronieda Martin.

Condolences may be sent to her niece, Barbara Johnson, 15 - 42^nd St., NE, #20, Washington, DC 20019.