Wayne Jay Williford

WAYNE JAY WILLIFORD Funeral services for Cortez resident Wayne Jay Williford will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday December 3 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow at Cortez Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Ute Mountain American Legion Post #75. Wayne was born in Salmon, Idaho on December 15, 1936 to Willard DeWitt and Fanny Eva (Radmall) Williford. He passed away at his home surrounded by his loving family on November 26, 2014 at the age of 77. Wayne moved to Pleasant View, Colorado to live with his Aunt Neva and Uncle Jack Pedigo in 1954 and graduated from Montezuma-Cortez High School in 1956. He fell in love and married his high school sweetheart Margaret Bryan on June 28, 1958. He proudly served in the US Navy as an aviation mechanic from 1958 to 1962. After studying to be a master design machinist in college he owned a number of businesses including automotive mechanic, metal worker and welder, building contractor, and woodworker. He enjoyed helping others with their projects and could be relied on to figure out and solve complicated problems. Wayne was a quiet unassuming man who was caring and kind to everyone he met. He had a generous and gentle soul, and really loved a good joke. His favorite past times were fishing, hunting, reading, and especially creating something with his wood work. Wayne is survived by his wife of 56 years Margaret; his children, Ann Hover, Wayne D. Williford, Valley Jean Williford-McCulloch all of Cortez, and Velma Mae Williford of Novato, California. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Cody, Aspen, Fanny, Ryan and Whitney; and three great grandchildren, Ciana, Cheriann, and Xander; by his brothers, Everett, Ben, Darwin; one sister, Carolyn; as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Henry, and infant sister Neva.