Lewis A. Croft

His wonderful trip down the Yellow Brick Road ended for Lewis A. Croft on April 29, 2008. Lewis was surely one of life's most colorful characters and he leaves a life full of adventure and dear friends.

Lewis was born in Shelley, Idaho, to Samuel and Roseland Crofts on May 2, 1919. He was the fourth of 14 children. At about age 8, Lewis' folks noticed that he was not growing, and after extensive examinations it was decided by his doctors that he was destined to be small. He finally achieved the height of 31/2 ft and at age 16 he left home to find his way in the world. He worked for side shows and circuses and became an accomplished singer and musician. His stage name was "Idaho Lewis." When he was 18 years old, he was notified that midgets were being sought for parts in a movie in Hollywood. He went there and landed a job as a Munchkin in the movie "Wizard of Oz." There were 125 little people in the show, and at the time of his death there were only eight left. He told such wonderful stories about meeting Judy Garland and others on the set. He told his family that if they were looking for him in the movie, he was the second soldier on the second row.

After making the movie, Lewis went back on the road and ended up in Chicago working at a midget bar. Along the way, he met The Del Rio family. The Del Rios were a midget family and were very talented. He fell in love with Delores Del Rio, and they were married in 1948. They had two sons, Alan and Robert. After five more years in Chicago, they moved back to Shelley and worked for Bellville Manufacturing and other businesses in Shelley. He retired from the R.T. French Co. After Delores' death in 1978, he married Eva Arwin in 1984.

He is survived by one son, Robert of Boise; four grandsons, Nicholas, Jeremy, Cory and Christopher; seven great-grandchildren; three brothers, James of Shelley, and Roy and Verlyn of Idaho Falls; one sister, Ada of Shelley; and daughter-in-law, Kyoung Hee of Croft, Wash. He was preceded in death by his two wives, one son, his parents, and nine of his brothers and sisters.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at Nalder Funeral Home, 110 W. Oak St. in Shelley. The family will visit with friends from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Saturday before services at the funeral home. Burial will be in Shelley Hillcrest Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www .nalderfuneralhome.com.

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