Walter Ross Ashcroft

1933 - 2017

Ashcroft, Walter Ross
Walter Ross Ashcroft, 83, passed away November 10, 2017 at his home in Eagar after a valiant fight with cancer. Ross was born November 28, 1933 to Wallace Ashcroft and Buelah Eagar Ashcroft and raised in Round Valley. Ross graduated from Round Valley High School with the class of 1951 and attended BYU and ASU before enlisting in the United States Army in 1953. Following basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia, Ross was assigned to the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Returning home to Eagar following his military duties he served a mission to the Great Lakes Mission for The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints from 1956-1958. He married Marcia Amelia Smith in June of 1959 in the Mesa LDS Temple for time and all eternity; they were blessed with 5 children and settled in the Phoenix, Glendale area. Loving to work outside, Ross worked for a number of paving contractors as a supervisor for over 40 years to include Benson Contracting, Buck Brown, National Applicators, Wheeler Construction and Meadow Valley. Ross had a great love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoyed serving in the Church. Always active in the LDS church, he held numerous positions but cherished his time as Bishop of the Glendale 4th Ward. Ross was very active with the Boy Scouts of America (Theodore Roosevelt Council) and was awarded the Silver Beaver award from the BSA for his service to youth. At the age of 69 he completed his last 50 miler in the White Mountains. Marcia passed away in May of 2004 and Ross was blessed to marry Lucille Whitmer and extended the Ashcroft family from five children to a total of ten children. Together Ross and Lucille were blessed to serve a mission in the Georgia Atlanta North Mission and continued to serve in the Snowflake, Arizona temple every Tuesday. He lived a life of selfless service through the military, scouting, serving in the church, his neighbors, his friends and his large extended family. Ross was preceded in death by his first wife, Marcia Amelia; children, Gary Ross, Joyce Marie, parents, Wallace and Buelah, sister, Beulah Ann "Bobbie" Bowdoin, brothers, Phillip Ashcroft, LaVerl Ashcroft, step-son, Alan Millett, step-daughter, Elaine Millett and daughter-in-law, Kathy Ashcroft. He is survived by his wife, Lucille, sons, Craig (Natalie) Ashcroft, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Robert (Rhonda) Ashcroft, Cochran, Georgia; daughter, Patsy (Brian) Morris, Mesa; 9 grandchildren, Mitchell, Elizabeth, Gary, Kyle, Cody, Roscoe, Brianna, Jason, Zaarik, 1 great grandchild, Katherine, sisters, Sharon (Stan) Finch, Susan (Larry) Martin, Wallace (Glenn) Mayhew, sisters-in-law, Elaine Ashcroft and Nona Ashcroft, brother-in-law, Dean Bowdoin and step-children, Heather Evans, Sheila (Mark) Edmond, Carla (Chuck) Kammer, Mark (Michelle) Millett. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Eagar Stake Center, with visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow the funeral services at the Eagar Cemetery. To leave an online condolence for Ross' family, please visit www.burnhammorturary.com. Burnham Mortuary, Eagar, handled arrangements.