Willard Russell Prior-Crofoot(Bill Crofoot), husband of Janice (Jan Woods), born in Stamford, Ct., April 7,1923, son of Russell and Elsie Borgmann Prior-Crofoot, passed away February 27, 2010 after a long illness.
Bill graduated from Stamford, CT. High School in 1941, completed an apprenticeship as a tool and die maker at Wright Tech and studied engineering. He followed his Uncle Harry Prior at Pitney Bowes where he was a tool and die maker, establishing the molded plastics division and then a quality control engineer traveling domestically and internationally for the postage meter company for over 40 years. From Jan 1943 to Nov.1945 he was in the Army Air Corps, serving in England, France, Belgium and Germany, receiving 5 battle stars in major battles, including the Battle of the Bulge. In 1963 he was a guest of Gen de Gaulle at the Bastille Day Celebration and in May 2001 he was honored by the French Government for participating in the liberation of France at the end of WWII. He was a wedding photographer in Fairfield and Westchester Counties for major studios. He was a volunteer fireman for Springdale, Ct. Fire Co. for 27 years and in retirement he did photography for Blue Hill and Sedgwick fire departments. Bill was happiest at home in Blue Hill, fly fishing, hunting, sailing and spending winter vacations in Mexico. He volunteered at the Cole Museum in Bangor, was a troop greeter, a member of the Society of Plastic Engineers, a member of the Blue Hill Rifle Club, Ducks Unlimited, Union Salmon Club, Blue Hill Country Club and former member of K.Y.C..
Bill is survived by his wife Jan of 33 years, his son Douglas and wife Susan, granddaughter Emily of Stamford, Ct.; his daughter Yvonne, husband Gary Lash, granddaughter Amy and grandson Christopher of Newport, R.I. Also, his sister Elsie of Ridgefield, Ct., his mother-in-law, Hilda P. Woods and sister-in-law Sandra Marriner of Blue Hill; nieces and nephews.
Special thanks to the staff at Blue Hill Hospital and Hospice of Hancock Conty volunteers for their care and companionship over the years.
Contributions in memory of Bill may be sent to the Peninsula Ambulance Corps, P O Box 500, Blue Hill, Me., 04614, to Hospice of Hancock Co., 14 McKenzie Ave., Ellsworth, Me 04605 or to a charity of your choice.
A celebration of life will be held at a later time. Interment will be at 1:00 pm, April 9, 2010 at Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 163 Mount Vernon Road, Augusta
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com