Carol Ann Morford

Our amazing mother and grandmother, Carol Ann Morford, 83, left to be with Jesus and forever reunited with her husband on May 17, 2023. She was born on March 17, 1940 in Yankton, South Dakota, to Goldie and Jack Gallagher.

Spending her first years in Yankton and nearby Sioux City, Iowa, the family embarked to Yakima in the 1950's. Once there, she found the love of her life, Ernest R Morford, Jr., whom she married in 1956 at the age of 16 and were together for 53 years. She spent her early life working at the Libby's Cannery in Yakima, and picking hops in Moxee for the family. While in Moxee, she gave birth to three children, Darrold, Kathy and Shirley. Later moving to Yakima, Carol would trailblaze her way into trucking with her husband at Pistoresi Trucking in Toppenish, becoming one of the very few females in the industry at that time. They hauled cattle to Canada, California, and around the Northwest in the 1970's and 1980's. Post-trucking, Carol and Ernie moved to Wapato, living on several acres of land near Lateral A Road. They raised cows, horses, sheep, chickens, and goats. She loved her "bottle feeders" who followed her around constantly. Carol was a hard worker who until recently, still went out in the old Ford F-100, or tractor, throwing out 90 pound bales of hay to her animals. She loved them, especially after the loss of her husband in 2008. Mom kept in regular touch with her children and grandkids, often with a "love you, bye" at the end. We will miss those phone calls and memories of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and 4th of July together. She also loved anything emerald or green, given that her birthday was on St. Patrick's Day!

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ernest, brother in law Leroy (Wilma) Morford, and sister in law Marlene (Phil) Heilman. She is survived by her brother Dennis (Patty) Rapp of Chino Hills, CA.; her daughters, Shirley Crain of Yakima and Katherine Martin (Linn Robins) of Wapato; son Darrold Morford (Diane Southards) of Yakima, Bill Aley of Langley, WA., grandsons Ryan (Renee) Hart of Springfield, OR., Taylor Crain of Yakima and Joshua Denny of Selah; granddaughters Terra (Kurt) Helms of Yakima and Amber Robins (Aaron Telliho) of Kalona, IA.; great grandchildren Cora, Lily, Noah, Leah, Myaa, Alex, Landon and Carlisle. She is also survived by her great friend Sam Cochran of Moxee.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 10:00 AM at the Rainier Memorial Center, 2807 Terrace Heights Drive in Yakima. Burial services will follow at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.