SCHROON LAKE — Thomas F. Williford, 78, of 631 Route 9, died Thursday morning, Jan. 8, 2004, at the Glens Falls Hospital after a brief illness.

Tom was born Jan. 4, 1926, in the Bronx, N.Y., the son of the late William R. and Isabella (McCormick) Williford.

Tom was predeceased by his brothers William A. Williford in 1991 and Robert Williford in 1983.

Tom was a graduate of Schroon Lake Central School and the State University at Cortland; he taught school for 35 years, the last 27 years at Schroon Lake Central School, and retired in 1984.

Tom was a longtime member of the Schroon Lake Volunteer Fire Department and a longtime member of the Schroon Lake Emergency Squad. Tom was certified in advanced life support and devoted to helping people with the emergency squad. Over the years, he assisted thousands of people in distress.

Tom was honored by the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce as the Citizen of the Year in 1993, and a second time with the Schroon Lake Emergency Squad in 2002.

Tom was a Eucharistic minister at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for many years. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the Pacific Asiatic Theatre as a pharmacist’s mate in the U.S. Navy.

Tom was a well known and respected soccer and baseball official and in his earlier years was the head lifeguard at the Town of Schroon beach.

Tom enjoyed golf and was a member of the Schroon Lake Golf Course men’s and couples’ league.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Frances (Karkoski) Williford of Schroon Lake; his daughter, Frances, and her husband, Roger Mahler, of Schroon Lake; his sons, Stanley and his wife, Linda, Williford of North Creek, Joseph and his wife, Nancy, Williford of Canandaigua, and Thomas and his wife, Martha, Williford of Bogota, Colombia; his brothers Edmund Roy and James Williford of Schroon Lake; his sister, Isabelle Signorelli of Rochester; seven grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Schroon Lake with the Rev. Richard Sturtz officiating. Interment will take place at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery in the spring.

Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight at the Edward L. Kelly Funeral Home, 1019 Route 9, Schroon Lake.

The family suggests memorials take the form of donations to the Schroon Lake Emergency Squad, Schroon Lake, NY 12870, or to High Peaks Hospice, PO Box 131, Saranac Lake, NY 12983-0131.