Ernest Armand 'Ernie' Bickford Pilesgrove, N.J. Ernest "Ernie" Armand Bickford of Pilesgrove, New Jersey, passed away on October 13, 2016. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts and raised in Leicester, Massachusetts, Ernie was the son of Richard H. and Edna (Kershaw) Bickford. Ernie was a graduate of Leicester High School and Lawrence Academy. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU), where he majored in physics and math and played football for three years; he graduated in 1961. Upon graduation, he played semi-pro football for the Akron Pros. Prior to college, he served his country for four years with the US Air Force. He was the last Korean War veteran to attend Ohio Wesleyan, which earned him the nickname "The Old Grad" as he was six years older than his classmates. Upon his graduation, Goodyear Industrial Rubber employed him. In 1977, he started his own business, Bickford Rubber Supply in Woodstown, New Jersey. Ernie's other business ventures included the western apparel store, Cowtown Cowboy Outfitters. He worked at the Cowtown Rodeo for forty-two summers and attended his last rodeo this September. He also co-owned a charter fishing boat, roasted pigs for parties, and sold wood-burning stoves in the 1970s. Ernie served as a Pilesgrove Township committeeman and was later elected Pilesgrove mayor for two terms. He also served on the board of the Harvest Bank of Salem County. He is survived by his children, Michael (Kessler) of Easton, Maryland; Peter (Teri) of Baltimore, Maryland; Suzanne Zigo (Travis) of Pilesgrove, New Jersey; and siblings Carol Baptista (Carlos), Judy Glass, Maxine Arsenault (Kenneth) and Dick Bickford; and five grandchildren, Alec, Ryan, Andrew, Lindsey, and Henry. Services will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2016 at the Adams Funeral Home, 64, Broad St., Woodstown, NJ, 08098. The memorial visitation will begin at 9:30am, with the service following at 11am. Interment will take place at a later date at Berlin South Cemetery in Worcester, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Salem County chapter of Meals On Wheels. www.scmealsonwheels.org www.adamsfuneralhome.org Adams Funeral Home 856-769-2220 adamsfuneralhome.org
Published in South Jersey Times on Oct. 17, 2016