Margaret Louise Benford

February 15, 1937 to March 4, 2022

Margaret Benford (Recker), 85, was born in Jacksonville, Florida February 15, 1937, became a longtime resident of Akron, Ohio and left her loving family and friends on March 4, 2022 in Chandler, Arizona.

Her Dad August (Gus) was a dockworker in Florida loading tires when he was offered a job at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co in Akron, OH. When they moved to Ohio in 1942, WWII was in full swing. Her Mom, Louise took children Marge (5) and Joan (under 1) by train, and often crowded with soldiers, to Akron joining Gus and making a home in the Goodyear employee housing.

At age 15, Marge joined the Civil Air Patrol Cadets at Akron Fulton Airfield, which when Goodyear Aircraft Co. manufactured Corsairs for the Navy became U.S. Naval Air Station Akron. Mom said she could hear the Corsair engines roaring from her home. Being in the CAP and near aircraft sparked a lifelong love of aviation.

She attended primary and secondary school at St Paul Catholic and St Vincent de Paul respectively. It was at St. Vincent’s that she met Charles Crangle who would become her husband. Marge and Charles had 5 children: Patty (Cecil), Ann, Tom, Sue, Dan (Angela).

After graduation she worked as a Nurses Aid at City Hospital, then went to Mercy Hospital Nursing school and became a Registered Nurse in 1958. Marge was well respected by patients and co-workers alike and worked as an RN for roughly 50 years. She never really wanted to stop nursing but eventually retired from Our Lady of the Elms nursing facility where she was able to reminisce with some residents that had been her teachers at St Paul’s and St Vincent’s.

One of her longest nursing jobs was at the Veteran’s Administration in Brecksville, OH. Her patients were essentially long-term care residents. As kids, she would bring us to visit on holidays and special occasions. It was at the VA that she met Thomas Benford. At the right time for them, Marge and Tom married and had one son Tim (Marie). They had many good years together enjoying family, baseball, bowling and their church.

Symptoms of dementia were manifesting in Marge years before a formal diagnosis – there is an opinion that dementia led to their separation. At that time, Marge came to live with family in Arizona (2015).

She is survived by: Sister Joan Zigler, many cousins, nieces, nephews, sister and brother in laws and friends; 6 children; 11 grandchildren: Jeremy, Sam, Joe, Mattie, Samantha, Sarah, Asia, Jacob, Ana, Jonah, Eann and Easton; 7 great grandchildren: Audrey, Grace, Keira, Rory, Tate, Bennett, Beau.

Stepchildren Charles, Ronald, and their three siblings that have since passed: Frances, Thomas Jr. (Jean), Gwen (Oliver), 22 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

We will miss her knowledge, compassion, beautiful smile and sense of humor. One high school friend said, “I’ll pray for her soul even though I know she doesn’t need it”.

A visitation for Margaret will be held Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery, 10940 East Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85248, followed by a funeral service from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.valleyofthesunfuneralhome.com for the Benford family.