It is with great sadness we share the news that Alzada Cross, the namesake of the Alzada Company and beloved grandmother of company founder Rebekah Barney, passed away earlier this week at the age of 96. She will be deeply missed and forever loved and admired by countless family and friends.

Here, we share an abbreviated version of her obituary, a brief glimpse at her extraordinarily wonderful life.

ALZADA ESTES WEAVER CROSS | SWANSEA, MA.

Alzada Estes Weaver Cross, age 96, passed away in the early hours of Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, surrounded by her loving family in the small Swansea home she lived in for more than six decades.

A 14th-generation descendant of Mayflower passenger Francis Cooke and named for her maternal grandmother, Alzada Estes Gifford, she was born to Susan Gifford and Louis Weaver on Oct. 19, 1926 in Fall River, Mass.

Alzada graduated from Durfee High School in 1944, and met the love of her life, Irving Cecil Cross – also known as “Mr. Wonderful” – while working behind the soda counter of a Fall River corner store in 1949. They were married on Feb. 17, 1950 in Fall River, and raised six children in their Swansea home, sharing a joyful, loving marriage and family life for 58 years. Irving passed away on Father’s Day in 2008.

Alzada enjoyed a long, rich life filled with friendship, square dancing, camping, crosswords and card playing – but, most of all, she cherished time with her loving husband and adoring children.

Alzada is survived by six children – Steven, Deborah, Pamela, David, Brian, and Dana; ten grandchildren – Jessica, Rebekah, Alexandra, Sarah, Cody, Allan, Benjamin, Brian, Dylan and Kayla; and seven great-grandchildren – Meriem, Leila, Luke, Noah, Madeline, Rylee and Juliette.

May we all be forever grateful for Alzada’s abiding love and legacy, and may our future generations be influenced by her exemplary life.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Alzada’s memory with a simple act of kindness.