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A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, 1:00 pm, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for Ellen Kierce Langford, 82, who recently died at her home in Auburn following a long illness.

She was born in Greenville, Alabama, to Brunson and Jennie Gates Kierce. Ellen grew up in Greenville, attended W.O. Parmer Elementary School, and graduated from Greenville High School in 1954. She continued her education at the University of Alabama, graduating in 1958 with a BS in Education. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. In 1976, Langford obtained a Masters Degree in Education in from University of North Alabama. She was named Alabama’s Speech Teacher of the Year in 1981.

She was an authority on Mark Twain and offered several courses on Mark Twain at Auburn’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.  She also had extensive knowledge in the dramatic writings of many other playwrights and authors.

Langford married James Allen Langford on October 18, 1958. Their first home was in El Paso, Tex., while Allen was in the army. She taught school in El Paso until they moved to Auburn where Allen finished his degree in Industrial Management and she continued to teach.

They lived in several places in Alabama until settling in Decatur. Langford worked in the Morgan County and Decatur City school systems for 32 years where she taught English and Literature, coached the Lincoln-Douglas debate team, Extemporaneous Commentary, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation and Prose Reading. She also sponsored Drama Clubs with yearly play productions at Brewer High School and Decatur High School.

Following her retirement in 2000, Langford and her husband returned to Auburn where they have been part of the community and living in Cary Woods. They were associated with First Presbyterian Church and participated in Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes with other retirees.

Her parents as well as her brothers, Jim Kierce and Will Kierce, preceded Langford in death. She is survived by her husband, James Allen Langford and her three children; Julie Langford Vogt (Mark), Beth Langford Parker (Marty), and Jeffry Chason Langford (Dana); eight grandchildren, Jennie, Laura and Eliza Vogt, Rachel and Rebecca Parker and Nolen, Jane Ann and Alyssa Langford.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to East Alabama Food Bank, 375 Industry Drive, Auburn, Alabama 36832 or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund.