Gifford "Bugs" Fordham Jr., 72, of Sublette passed away peacefully on Thursday August 6, 2020 at Heritage Health in Mendota.

Gifford was born on February 3rd, 1948 in Amboy to Gifford and Grace (Hazelwood) Fordham.

He graduated from Amboy High School in 1966. He was a proud veteran of the U.S Army and served in the Vietnam War. He married Diane Fetzer on March 7, 1970. Together they had three children. He later married Irene Shaw on January 8, 1999.

Bugs was a skilled welder and worked at Agriculture Building Company for over 26 years until he suffered from a stroke in June of 2000 that left him disabled. He was an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears. He was an outdoorsman who had a great love of hunting and fishing. He enjoyed his Saturday car rides cruising the country roads and driving by the family farm to look for wild life. He had a large collection of baseball hats and it was very seldom that Bugs would be seen without a hat. He looked forward to visits with his family & loved to share stories and special memories.

He is survived by and will be dearly missed by Irene Fordham, two cherished daughters, Tricia (Brian) Hiebing of Mendota and Amy Hicks of Dixon; one beloved son Jared Fordham of Sublette; step-sons Yancy Shaw and Eric Shaw both of Dixon and Neil Shaw of Oregon. Also surviving are his precious grandchildren Lyndsay (Tyler) Hodapp, Andrew (Harleigh) Hiebing, Ian Hiebing, Camryn Kirby and Charlee Fordham and great-grandchildren Avery Hodapp, Paisley Schmidt, Benjamin and Emery Hiebing and Baby Girl Hiebing arriving soon. Step-grandchildren Dylan, Colton, Ethan, Evan, Gabe, Christian, Cory, Carter, Cody, Irelyn and Patrick Shaw and step great-grandchildren Arira and Dominick Shaw. His brother Larry Fordham of Amboy and his sisters Linda Hess of Earlville and Diane Fordham of Spring Valley. Step-brothers Ron (Marlene) Egler of Sublette and Ed Egler of Florida and step-sisters Linda Ikens of Amboy and Deb Egler of Dixon.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his step mothers Laverne Fordham & Ellen Fordham and his sister Debra Hartenbower.

Face masks and social distancing requirements will be enforced for a public visitation on Friday August 14, 2020 from 4-8 pm at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. Cremation rites will be accorded after the visitation and a private family burial with military honors by the Mendota VFW Post 4079 will be held at St. Mary's Cemetery, Sublette at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

The Fordham family expresses heartfelt gratitude to the Heritage Health & also the former Lutheran Home staff for all of the wonderful care and love given to Bugs and his family while he resided there. Bugs was a wonderful father, grandfather and great-grandfather that was very loved and will be deeply missed by many.