Marcus Alphonso Cranford Sr., 95, of Morgantown, passed away Thursday, March 21, 2019, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on October 27, 1923, in Despard, a son of the late Silas and Irca Cranford.
Marcus graduated from Monongalia High School. He was a member of the Monongalia High Bulldogs football team, which won the state championship in 1940. He was a member of the Acappella Choir who sang for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife at the White House.
On July 18, 1943, he married Jacqueline Denson, also of Morgantown, and later that year, he was drafted into the United States Navy where he was assigned to the Seabees in the South Pacific. He was a witness to the raising of the American flag in Iwo Jima. Once honorably discharged from the military, Marcus began his 40 plus year career with the Chesapeake and Potomac (C&P) Telephone Company now known as AT&T.
Marcus was a member of St. Stephens Baptist Church and he was actively involved in Jones United Methodist Church. He was a trustee and he assisted in the renovation of the Jones United Methodist church. He loved fishing, hunting and bowling; he belonged to various bowling leagues. He named his bowling team, “The Recycled Teenagers”, which is still active to date.
He belonged to a senior citizens softball team for a number of years. He was a member of the New Hope Lodge No. 46 F and AM. Marcus was recently made an honorary lifetime member of the Masons Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 11 on February 21, 2019.
Marcus participated as a relay torch carrier in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Morgantown. Marcus was inducted into West Virginia All Black School Sports and Academic Hall of Fame.
In 2007, Marcus was featured in a 2008, award winning documentary, “Fighting on Two Fronts: the Untold Stories of African American WWII Veterans” produced and directed by Joel William Beeson, an Associate Professor at the West Virginia University Reed College of Media and the two of them remained friends to this day.
He is survived by his children, Marcus (Barbara) Cranford, Jr., Karen (Clarence) Lemelle, Deborah (Hubert) Ward, and Renee’ Mack; grandchildren, Michael Link, Eric (Toya) Ward, David (Nicole) Cranford, Aaron Cranford, and Pierre’ Mack; his great-grandchildren, Trevor and Alissa Link, Roya, Alexander, and Nicolas Cranford, Amaya, Aaron Jr., Anna, and Addison Cranford; a sister, Phyllis Cooper, of Ohio; and a brother, Warren Cranford, of New York. He also leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews along with many family friends.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Jacqueline Cranford of 75 years; sisters, Mary Lee, Cleo Marie, Blanch Maxine, Edna, Carrie, and Helen; and brothers, Ollie, Charles, and Horace Cranford.
Visitation will be held at Dering-Henson Funeral Home from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30, with the funeral service to follow. Interment will be at East Oak Grove Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the staff and members of Morgantown Hospice and Amedisys Partner, Dorian Thomas, Michelle Demasi, and Carol Becilla for their care and support of our dad, and special thanks to April Tennant.
Caring services are provided by Dering-Henson Funeral Home.
Condolences: www.dering-henson.com
