CROFFORD, Ernest Albert (Ernie)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 05/20/2005 Ernest Albert Crofford, age 84, died Tuesday, May 17, 2005, in Show Low, AZ. Ernie was born in Mesa where he attended Alma School and Jefferson School. He learned the meat cutter trade at age 13. At age 16 he worked for the United States Geological Survey and surveyed much of Arizona. On March 20, 1942, in Flagstaff, he eloped with Ila Larson. She was his grade school sweetheart. He built airplanes at Williams Air Force Base before he began service in the Army Air Corp where he was a flight engineer and navigator. Upon returning home he settled in Chandler and began working in the grocery business with his brother Otis. They opened Crofford School Grocery. Ernie began farming in 1952 in Queen Creek and continued until 1957. During this time he had two daughters, Sandra and Peggy. The family moved to Woodruff where he farmed and then worked briefly for Safeway. Ernie began a career with ADOT where he was a highway inspector for nearly 30 years. In his free time Ernie loved farming and gardening. He was also a very good handyman and inventor. There was very little he couldn't do. Ernie was hard working, very kind and a generous person, and an extremely proud American who loved his country. In January of 2002 Ernie lost his loving wife of 60 years and then married Sally Wills of Mesa, who was a family friend. Ernie is also survived by his two daughters, Sandra (Kent) Heward of Woodruff and Peggy (Ed) Downey of Mesa; one sister, Goldie Morris of Phoenix; two grandsons, Leon (Becky) Heward and Ross Heward, both of Woodruff; two great grandsons, Ed and John Heward; three step-children, Janet (Gerald) Keller of Chandler, Julia (Karey) Mook of Scotts Valley, Calif., and Thomas (Diana) Wills of Mesa. Ernie will be dearly missed by all. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 20 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Woodruff with a viewing beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Mesa City Cemetery at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 21. For those who have special memories, comments, or would like to send private condolences you are invited to visit www.owensmortuary.com. Owens Mortuary of Holbrook handled the arrangements.