Timothy Colin Deford

Tim DeFord passed away in his home in Winterset, Iowa, on June 17th, after a long battle with cancer. A visitation will be held at the Carris Family Funeral Home & Cremation Care in Perry, Iowa, on Thursday, June 22, from 4:00-7:00 pm. The funeral service will be at the First Baptist Church in Creston, Iowa, on Friday, June 23, at 10:30 am followed by the burial at the Green Lawn Cemetery in Afton, Iowa. Tim was preceded in death by his sister, Marlys, who died in infancy, and by his father, Lyle. He is survived by his mother, Emily; his brothers, Mark, Joel, Steve, Curt, and Doug; and by his sister, Susan (Colin) McClure. He is also survived by his loving wife, Rita, and their nine children, Nathan, Rachel, Colin, Caleb, Betsy, Isaac, Titus, Honor, and Leah. In addition, Tim is survived by 21 grandchildren and counting. Tim was born in Winterset, Iowa, on September 4, 1956, as the 3rd child of Lyle and Emily DeFord. He spent his childhood in Dacoma, Oklahoma, and then mostly in northeast Nebraska, where his father served as a pastor for many years. As a boy, Tim came to see his need for a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and he trusted in Him and committed his life to serving Him. This relationship, through the blood of Jesus, set the direction for the rest of his life. After attending Prairie Bible Institute, Tim moved to Perry, Iowa, to work with his uncle, Dave Lord, at Lords Clothing. While in Perry, Tim met and married the love of his life, Rita. They were married on March 24, 1979. He was a devoted husband and father, eager to provide and teach and care. His face would beam whenever he got the chance to tell people about his wife and his children. The beam grew even bigger when he was able to tell folks about his grandkids. Giving them rides on the lawn mower, going on walks with them through the woods or around Winterset, and getting ice cream with them at Frostees were some of his most treasured times. While working with his uncle, he developed a passion for fine mens clothing and eventually purchased the business. He went from operating stores in Oskaloosa and Grinnell and then Perry for many years before moving the store to Ankeny. Eventually, he closed the store and shifted to being a traveling clothier. Over the years, he built a business with men in small towns all over the Midwest who still needed to wear suits and ties but did not have a local store. One of his great joys in life was traveling to see his customers and selling them custom made shirts and suits. But a greater joy for him than that was the relationships and close friendships he had with so many of them. His unique work was featured in many newspapers, including the front page of the New York Times. In addition to his family and his business, Tim loved old cars, especially muscle cars made by American Motors. He also had a knack for obscure history, especially if it involved the Great Depression, clothing business in the good old days, railroads, or Winterset. He often would try to get all his family to enjoy watching videos about these things with himbut with limited success. His life was a testament to the grace of God and in growing in Christ-likeness. He spent countless hours reading his Bible, listening to it being taught and in praying for others. As a result, he grew in love for Christ and for others. He grew from trying to do things right to trying to love people right. His family and his customers were just a few of the beneficiaries of his walk with his God. He will be remembered as a man who had a heart for those who were lonely, as a man who loved his wife and kids in word and deed, as a man with a twinkle in his eyes and a song in his heart, and as a man who desired to be like his Savior. One of his favorite verses was in Psalm 103: "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." These were words he lived by and a legacy he leaves behind. Funeral Service Friday, June 23, 2023 10:30 AM First Baptist Church 1001 North Lincoln St Creston, IA 50801 Visitation Thursday, June 22, 2023 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Carris Family Funeral Home & Cremation Care 1721 Park St Perry, IA 50220