Janet (Williford) Diffee

Janet Patrice Williford Diffee, resident of Rogers Springs Lakes Community in Hardeman County, former resident of the Somerville Community and Registered Nurse died as a result of a vehicle accident that occurred near Brownsville, TN on Sunday morning, July 31, 2011. She was 58 years of age.

Joint Services of Remembrance for Mrs. Diffee and her father, Mr. Woody Williford of Somerville were conducted at 2 PM Thursday, August 4th at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland. The officiating ministers were Dr. Curtis Crenshaw of Houston, TX and Rev. Larry Kendrick of Somerville, officiating. Special remarks were given by a lifelong friend, Mindy Caudle.  Interment was private and arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes and Cremation Center—West Chapel of Oakland.

Mrs. Diffee was born January 24, 1953 in Memphis the daughter of Bonnis Cole Williford and the late Robert W. “Woody” Williford.  She was a 1971 graduate of Fayette Academy and completed her education as a Registered Nurse at the University of Memphis.

Mrs. Diffee joined Medtronic organization in 1988. She had previously served as a critical care nurse at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis where she specialized in staff development and education. Mrs. Diffee quickly climbed the ranks within Medtronic ultimately serving as Senior Sales Representative in Jackson, TN.  In more recent years she returned to her early roots and served as Principle Clinical Specialist in Memphis where she lead the training and education of more than 50 employees and hundreds of nurses. Mrs. Diffee’s love for education provided her with the opportunity to lead the Medtronic training and education center where she conducted special training sessions about Medtronic therapies for Nurses and Doctors in the area.  She lived the Medtronic mission every day to “alleviate pain, restore health and extend life”. Mrs. Diffee will be greatly missed.

She was married July 30, 2005 to Jerry Wayne Diffee of Fayette County and had been a resident of the Rogers Springs Lakes Community in Hardeman County for the past five years. Mrs. Diffee was a former member of the Somerville First United Methodist Church and a member of the Middleton United Methodist Church at the time of her death.  She was a lifelong resident of Fayette and Hardeman Counties and her interests included gardening, kayaking and visiting the beach and ocean areas.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Diffee is survived by her sons, Dylan Smith (Chandra) of Memphis, Jacob Smith (Carrie) of Somerville; her step-son, Clayton Diffee (Kelley) of Oakland; her mother, Bonnis Cole Williford of Somerville; three brothers, Robert Tipton Williford (June) of Sugarland, TX, Kenneth Cole Williford (Lynn) of Lititz, PA and Lane Williford (Tricia) of Dothan, AL; three grandchildren, Donovan Smith of Memphis, Elayna Smith of Memphis and Carson Diffee of Collierville.

Those honored to serve as casketbearers were Mark Whitaker, David Gaddie, John McLaughlin, Davie Caudle, Libby McKnight, Richard Griffith, Gary Bullwinkel and Ava Portis.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Middleton United Methodist Church, 429 North Main Street, Middleton, TN  38052.