David William “Bill” Milford, 89, of Beaver Twp., Knox, Pa. passed away late Saturday evening (12-06-14) at Clarview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, at Sligo.
Born in Scrubgrass Twp., Butler Co. on March 8, 1925, he was the son of the late Arthur Thomas and Anna Mary Haggerty Milford.
He attended the former Emlenton High School, but did not graduate due to enlisting for service in World War II. He received his high school diploma at a Veterans Recognition Ceremony at Keystone High School in Knox in 2002.
Bill served with the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II from December 1942 through October 1945. Honorably discharged with rank of Private First Class, he served with the Special Weapons Group of the 2nd Marine Division facing action in the Pacific Theater of Operations, especially in Tarawa and Okinawa.
He was a life-member and past commander of American Legion Post 997 of Lamartine, and he was a member and past chaplain of VFW Post 7073 of Parker. As long as health permitted, he participated in veterans funeral services representing both posts of which he held membership.
Mr. Milford was employed over forty years by the former Quaker State Refinery at Emlenton, from where he retired in 1987 as a filter operator. He served over twenty years as union president of the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers Union at the refinery.
He was a longtime member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church near Knox, and was a former member of the Church Council.
He was a member of the NRA, AARP, and the Sportsmen Federation (“Bucktails”) of Beaver Twp. He was also an honorary member of the Clarion Co. Sheriff’s Department.
Surviving are his loving wife of sixty-seven years, the former Mary Lou Amsler whom he married June 13, 1947. He is survived by a daughter and husband, Patricia (Leroy) Ace of Knox; two sons and wives, Lawrence Arthur (Karolyn) Milford and John William (Judy) Milford, all of knox. Also survivng are eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. He is survived by one sister, Sara Milford McNany of Emlenton, and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Georgieanna Thompson, Margaret McGinnis, and Betty Jean Milliron, and two brothers, Arthur Kenneth and Burton A. Milford.
Friends may call from 2-4 and 6-8 PM Tuesday at H. Jack Buzard Funeral Home, 201 So. Wash. St., Eau Claire where funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 PM Wednesday in the funeral home. Pastor Karen Parsh of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church will officiate. Interment will follow at St. Paul’s Union Cemetery near Knox.
Members of the American Legion and VFW will conduct services at 1:45 PM Wednesday at funeral home prior to funeral service.
