Charles Edward Hereford, 82, of Thornton, Wash., passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2022. He was born on Aug. 16, 1939, to Jim and L. Margaret (Ferguson) Hereford in Tekoa, Wash.
After graduating from Rosalia High School in 1957, Ed attended Washington State University for one year.
Ed was always a farmer/rancher. He would go to Tonasket, Wash., to help work on the Ted Eberle Cattle Ranch, then down to Stanwood, Wash., and stay with his aunt and uncle Lee Hereford to help load frozen turkeys. He then came back to farm with his father for many years. He married the “love of his life” of 47 years, Diane Marie Deeds, of Plaza, Wash., on Sept. 30, 1961. They moved to Thornton, where they lived and raised their three children. Diane passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 4, 2008.
Ed was a man of many talents: a pilot, master carpenter, a deacon at Rosalia Baptist Church and Rosalia Fire Department Commissioner for several years. In 1977, he was elected to the Whitman County Grain Growers Board of Directors. In turn he was elected to North Pacific Grain Growers, then to Harvest States Board of Directors as the representative for Washington, Idaho and Oregon. He retired from the Board in 1999 when Harvest States merged with Cenex. Ed then sold the farm and went into business with his two sons in the fiber optic industry for the remainder of his life.
Ed was a wonderful and devoted father, husband and leader. He always taught life lessons and supported us all throughout the many accomplishments and difficulties of our lives. He will be greatly missed. He retired to his house in Casa Grande, Ariz., of 12 years, where he met many dear friends and used his carpentry skills on local remodel projects.
Ed is survived by his sister, Karen Loesch of Rosalia, Wash.; and children, Jed and Tricia (Rusch) Hereford of Thornton; Jacki and Aaron (Hereford) Kramer of Clarkston and Jim and Michelle (Samoray) Hereford of Spokane. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren with one more arriving in August.
The family wishes to convey its most heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful staff at Whitman Hospital and Courtyard Assisted Living. The family would like any memorials and contributions on his behalf be made to the Rosalia Fire Department.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 13, at the Thornton Cemetery. Following after will be a Rosalia Fire Department and Longhorn BBQ for a social gathering of friends and family. We would appreciate your presence, but if you are feeling under the weather, please send us your “cares and wishes” from afar due to a family member with a compromised immune system; thank you for your understanding.
Corbeill Funeral Home of Colfax is caring for the family. Online condolences may be made at corbeillfuneralhomes.com.
