Basil Elsworth Mulford

  General Notes:

During Basil's junior and senior years of high school, he served as the driver of a Model A Ford "school bus". After graduation, he worked a series of odd jobs before migrating to Alaska for work and adventure in 1937. He hauled salmon in Yakatat, and lived in Kodiak and Anchorage, where he built a log cabin and lived for a year before returning to his hometown in 1941. He helped make airplane wings for Boeing, worked as a radio operator for the State Patrol, and a field warden for the state Department of Natural Resources. His lifetime hobby was lapidery work, and he was known as the ' Rockhound who wore the metal hat ', [ his foresters helmet ]. Funeral was held December 3, 1993 at Olympia, Washington.

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OBITUARY OF BASIL E. MULFORD
( in Centralia Daily Chronicle December 1, 1993 )
A resident of Sequim for four years. Chehalis native Basil E. Mulford, died Sunday, November 28, in the Olympic Mamorial Hospital in Port Angeles. He was 81. Born March 27, 1912, at Chehalis, to Harry and Florence (Towner) Mulford, he was reared there and was graduated from high school in 1932. He worked in Alaska for four years with the fishing industry; was employed for a year with the Washington State Patrol; and worked as a firefighter with the Washington Department of Natural Resources for 28 years, retiring. in 1973. He worked for Hofert's in Christmas tree harvesting for 10 years as a crew boss, and had lived in Olympia for 34 years before moving to Sequim. His memberships included life membership in the Rhododendron Grange; the Washington State Grange; the National Grange, receiving all seven degrees; life membership in the Lewis County Historical Museum; Tenino Rock Couriers; Tacoma Agate Club; and the Port Townsend Rock Club. He was a rockhound, known as "the man with the tin hat and the jade teeth." On February 1, 1944, he married Gladys Hall in Centralia. She survives him at home. Also Surviving are a daughter, Carol Shankel of Lawrence, Kansas; three brothers, Roy of Centralia, Marvin of Springfield, Ore., and Kenneth of Kerrville, Texas; a sister, Elaine Byrd of Baltimore, Md. and two grandchildren. Remembrances may be donations to the Lewis County Historical Museum or the Washington State Grange. A funeral for Mulford will begin at 2 P. M. Friday at Forest Funeral Chapel in Olympia, which is in charge of arrangements.
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Buried in Forest Memorial Gardens

Basil married Living.

Basil next married Gladys N. Hall, daughter of Unknown and Unknown, on 1 Feb 1944 in Centralia, Lewis, Washington. (Gladys N. Hall was born on 26 Oct 1925 in Jasper, Pipestone, Minnesota and died on 28 Sep 1995 in Gardiner, Jefferson, Washington.)

Basil next married Gladys N. Hall, daughter of Unknown and Unknown, on 1 Feb 1944 in Centralia, Lewis, Washington. (Gladys N. Hall was born on 26 Oct 1925 in Jasper, Pipestone, Minnesota and died on 28 Sep 1995 in Gardiner, Jefferson, Washington.)