Harold Gifford

He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, obtained his PhD from the University of Michigan, and traveled to Europe for his post-graduate work alongside the most well-respected ophthalmologist of his day.

Returning to the United States, Gifford settled in Omaha, Nebraska, where, with his wife Mary at his side, he went on to become one of the city's most prominent surgeons.

After a brief hiatus from teaching he returned to the field as professor of optometry at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, not to be confused with similarly named UNMC, where he taught between the years 1903–1925.

Together, he and his wife had four children: Harold Jr. and his brother Sanford, who would both later follow in their father's footsteps, as well as daughters Anne and Mary.

[5] As a devoted naturalist he spent long hours outdoors, sometimes taking walks along the Missouri River, enjoying the country air from the seat of his Stanley Steamer, or a round of golf on his personal nine-hole course built on his farm just north of Omaha.