Mildred “Miffy” Wikstrom Crafts, 84, of Bath, passed away at Hill House in Bath on Jan. 9 with family members by her side, after a decade long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Miffy was born in Easton, Penn. on April 25, 1928 to immigrants Alfred (Bulle) Wikstrom (Riga, Latvia) and Katharine Newcombe Wikstrom (Ballyscastle, County Mayo, Ireland). She lived in Port Coledon, New Jersey where her father owned a commuter bus company. In 1942 she moved to Damariscotta Mills. There her father Alfred, a proud naturalized American, founded Bay Shore Machinery, which designed and manufactured critical navigation devices for the U.S. Navy during WWII.
After graduating from Lincoln Academy in 1945, and Northeastern Business College in 1947, Miffy worked for her father Alfred at Bay Shore Machinery. Miffy married Herbert Leroy Crafts II, a twelfth generation New Englander, in 1954. Together they owned and operated Red Barn Furniture Stores, which at its peak in the 1970s had stores in Newcastle, Gray, and Pittsfield. Herb operated Red Barn in Wiscasset, on a limited basis, until his death at age 82 in June 2010.
Miffy was a devoted wife and mother to her two children, Joy Crafts McNaughton, and Jeffrey H. Crafts. She was an accomplished gardener and watercolor artist. In later years Miffy devoted her time to caring for her only grandchild, Nicholas S. Cantrell. During the 1960s she was as member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle; and during the 1970s she was a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Wiscasset.
She especially cherished two trips to her mother’s native Ireland in the 1980s – one with her sister-in-law, Helen Crafts, in 1984.
Miffy resided at Hill House in Bath since January 2007 after a struggle at her beloved Wiscasset home with her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Miffy was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Herbert L. Crafts II, in June 2010.
She is survived by her daughter, Joy Lea Crafts McNaughton and husband John F. McNaughton of Portland; son, Jeffrey Herbert Crafts of Wiscasset; grandson, Nicholas S. Cantrell of Portland and Atlanta, Ga.; stepmother, Marian Wikstrom of Camden; niece, Deborah Hayden of San Anselmo, Cal.; brother-in-law Barry Crafts and wife Helen of Chelmsford, Mass.; and several nieces and nephews of the Crafts extended family.
Visiting hours 4-7 p.m., Fri., Jan. 11 at Daigle Funeral Home, 819 High St., Bath. Funeral service 9 a.m., Sat., Jan. 12 at the Wiscasset Church of the Nazarene, Gardiner Rd. with Pastor Wally Staples officiating. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery in Guilford in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations may be directed to Miffy’s favorite charity, the Boothbay Region Humane Society, PO Box 303, Boothbay Harbor 04538-0303.
Condolences may be made online at www.Daiglefuneralhome.com.
