John Reid Crawford

JOHN REID CRAWFORD, JR., loving husband, father, brother, and grandfather, died peacefully on Monday morning, August 17, 2009. He was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on November 24, 1926, the son of John Reid Crawford and Pearl Bethune Crawford who was a descendant from the Isle of Skye, Scotland. John attended Fayetteville High School and upon graduation, attended North Carolina State College where he played football for one year, prior to leaving school to help support his mother and sister. During his military assignment to Fort Hood, he drove a convertible car into a local drive-in where he met his future wife, Marlene. On July 12, 1952, he married Anita Marlene McEntire in Austin, Texas. They shared the next 57 wonderful years together in Abilene. He is predeceased by his mother, father, and sister, Ellyn Aynn Crawford, all of North Carolina. He is survived by his loving wife, Marlene, his son, Ralph Crawford, and his daughter, Anita Crawford, David Montenegro, of Houston, his brother Malcolm F. Crawford of New York City, three grandchildren, Justin Crawford and his wife Kara of Austin, and Camille and Ainsley Walker of Houston. During WWII, he served in the U.S. Merchant Marines and in the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Army. John was an insurance broker for over 45 years in Abilene and was a former member of the Million Dollar Round Table. He was active in the Cactus Lion's Club and was a past president. John was a life-long member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church where he often served as an usher. John was known and will be remembered for his quick wit and ability to make people laugh. People were always comfortable around him. He was an avid fan of his beloved North Carolina basketball teams and rarely missed watching them on television. He enthusiastically supported his children's participation in sporting events, cheering them on from the sidelines. He was dedicated to his family and passed on his sense of humor to all of them. John will be sorely missed by his family and the many friends he made throughout the community. A memorial service will be conducted at St. Paul United Methodist Church on Friday, August 21, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. with Dr. Eduardo Rivera and Rev. Bill Libby officiating, directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Following the service, a reception and celebration of his life will be held at Lytle Land & Cattle Company 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Contributions in memory of John Crawford can be directed to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 525 Beech St., Abilene, TX 79601, or M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P. O. Box 301435, Houston, Texas 77230-1435.