BATH — Mildred “Miffy” Wikstrom Crafts, age 84, passed away at Hill House in Bath on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 with family members by her side, after a decade long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Miffy was born in Easton, Pennsylvania 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, Lincoln County, Maine. There her father Alfred, a proud naturalized American, founded Bay Shore Machinery, which designed and manufactured critical navigation devices for the US Navy during World War II.

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 1970’s 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 water color artist. In later years Miffy devoted her time to caring for her only grandchild, Nicholas S. Cantrell. During the 1960’s she was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle; and during the 1970’s 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 1980’s — 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, of Portland, and Joy’s husband John F. McNaughton; her son, Jeffrey Herbert Crafts of Wiscasset; and her grandson, Nicholas S. Cantrell of Portland and Atlanta, GA her step mother, Marian Wikstrom of Camden. She is also survived by her niece Deborah Hayden of San Anselmo, California; her brother in law and his wife, Barry and Helen Crafts of Chelmsford, Massachusetts; and several nieces and nephews of the Crafts extended family.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Hill House Assisted Living in Bath for their compassionate and steady care of Miffy since January 10, 2007; as well as the dedicated medical care of David Hill, MD and Robert Stein, MD.

Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 7 PM on Friday, January 11, 2013 at Daigle Funeral Home, 819 High Street, Bath. A funeral service will be held at 9 AM on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at the Wiscasset Church of the Nazarene, Gardiner Road 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, Maine 04538-0303. Condolences may be made online at www.Daiglefuneralhome.com.