Willard Edwards Wilcox

Willard Edwards Wilcox, 78, resident of Mesa, passed away at home, on Sunday, April 1, 2007. He was born December 25, 1928 to Willard T. and Ruth (Edwards) Wilcox, in Manlius, New York, where he grew up and graduated from the local High School in 1948. In 1950, Willard graduated from the New York State Agricultural and Technical Institute at Alfred. Following his graduation, he went to work for Mac Tool Company in Syracuse, New York. He was also the Foreman for A.I. Doust Engineer, Water Contractor for George's Home Service for several years. Other positions held, and places of employment include; Water Supervisor for the Village of Manlius (1951-1954), and later on held the same position for the Town of DeWitt in the Lyndon District-of which he was very proud of. He was an agent for Goldak Pipe Locators and Leak Detectors, a distributor for Troy-Built Tractors, a Dispatcher for the DeWitt Fire Department-another position Willard was very proud to hold. He took his retirement from the Jamesville-DeWitt High School, where he was employed as a custodian. He and his wife, Lois, were very active members in whichever community they resided. When they lived in Nogales they volunteered their time at the Nogales Historical Museum. Upon moving to Cottonwood in 1986, they found themselves involved in the Clemenceau Heritage Museum. Willard also dedicated many years to the Food Bank, and other organizations in which he was able to help others in anyway that he could. He was an active member of the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, Cottonwood Garden Club, and the Arizona Association of the Blind, and at one time received a dog from Guide Dogs for the Blind when he became legally blind; one would not guess that he was born with little vision as Willard was a man of many accomplishments. He is preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Lois McGrath (2005); his mother, Ruth Edwards Wilcox (2001); his brother, A. Wilcox (1994). Willard is survived by two sisters, Ruth Wilcox Burgess with her husband, Volney, of Manlius, New York, and Beth Wilcox Trost with her husband, George, of Canastota, New York; eleven nieces and nephews; as well as, several grandnieces and grandnephews. A memorial gathering will take place at the Westcott Funeral Home on Saturday, April 14 from 1 to 2 PM. An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com