Obituary of David W. Whitford

EDWARDS – David Winford Whitford, age 73, of Edwards, passed away on June 27, 2021 surrounded by his family. Calling hours will be held at French Funeral Home in Edwards on Friday, July 2, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. followed by his funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Burial with military honors will be in Gates Cemetery. Condolences, memories and photo may be shared online at www.frenchfuneralhomes.com. David was born on December 8, 1947 at the Van Duzee Hospital in Gouverneur to the late Winford Oswald and Margaret (Porter) Whitford. He graduated from Edwards High School in 1967. He had played baseball for one year and was the Varsity Baseball Manager in 1963. David started working at St. Joe Mineral Corp before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps where he served as payroll clerk in Da Nang, Quang Tri, and Vandegrift Vietnam. After his honorable discharge from the military David went back to St. Joe Mineral Corp where he worked as a heavy equipment operator for 37 years before retiring due to disability on March 5, 2001. He married Nettie Rice on March 16, 1971 at the Edwards Methodist Church. The couple have three daughters and the handsomest son-in-law/funeral director ever. Family was everything to David. He loved time with his daughters and grandchildren, and enjoyed making trails for them to play on. He liked hunting in old bottle dumps, metal detecting, and collecting coins (mostly pennies). David is survived by his wife, Nettie, daughters, Michelle Whitford, Connie and Paul French, Jessica Barr, sisters, Nancy Whitford, Linda and Barry Payment, and brothers, Kenny and Cindy Whitford and Randy and Cathy Whitford. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Mark, Rinnan, Ryan, Kaitlin, Andrew, Tera, Kelsie, Aaron, Hailey, and Sylvia, and two great-grandchildren, Florence and Bryce, and has one more on the way. He is predeceased by his parents, a brother, Ronnie Whitford and a son-in-law, Ed Barr. Donations in memory of David may be made to Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley, 6805 US Hwy 11, Potsdam NY 13676.