Stanley Earl Crawford, 88, died on July 21, 2019, after a prolonged battle against cancer that slowly robbed him of his physical stamina but never diminished his inner strength, optimism and determination to remain independent to his final days.
He was a generous and loving father and deeply devoted to Katherine, his wife of 69 years. Despite his illness, he lovingly cared for her as she began to slip into the twilight of dementia in recent years. He is survived by Katherine; two children, Cynthia Crawford and Carl Crawford (Tonja), both of Portsmouth, VA; two sisters, Sarah Swart (John) and Shirley Kelly (Harold) of Northern Virginia; a granddaughter, Katie Wilkins (Jeremy), a great-granddaughter, Lila Jo, of Kill Devil Hills, NC, and numerous nieces and nephews.
One of nine children, Stanley grew up on the banks of the Elizabeth River and always lived within sight of it. That is where he developed his love of boating, fishing and crabbing. Many happy summer days revolved around a family boat ride followed by steaming crabs and cracking claws around the backyard picnic table.
The son of Bessie Lee (Williams) Crawford-Cole and Ernest Otto Crawford of Eure, Gates County, NC, Stanley was predeceased by sisters Irene Hanbury, Charlotte Lawrence and Hortense Pace; and brothers Clinton Crawford, Elbert Crawford and Ernest Crawford.
Stanley was a veteran of the Korean War, where he served in the special forces tank group. Upon his return, he joined the family hardware and furniture business, E.O. Crawford & Sons, established in downtown Portsmouth by his father nearly 100 years ago. He and his brothers and nephews owned and operated several Crawford House Ethan Allen Galleries in the Tidewater area and Williamsburg for many years.
A kind, selfless, unpretentious man, Stanley delighted in the little things â€" an ice-cold beer at the end of the day, a Redskins win, a good steak and baked potato. He was always willing to help anyone who needed a hand. A clear-headed problem-solver with a talent for making and fixing things, his unrelenting work ethic always required a project or activity of some kind to be in progress. Hard work aside, his retirement afforded him ample time to spend many leisurely days on his beloved Outer Banks with Katherine while visiting with friends, puttering around his vacation property and enjoying his favorite pastime, surf fishing.
Visitation will be held on Monday, July 29, at 2 p.m. at Sturtevant Funeral Home at 5201 Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, with a funeral service at 3 p.m., followed by burial at Olive Branch Cemetery.
Published in The Virginian Pilot from July 25 to July 26, 2019
He was a generous and loving father and deeply devoted to Katherine, his wife of 69 years. Despite his illness, he lovingly cared for her as she began to slip into the twilight of dementia in recent years. He is survived by Katherine; two children, Cynthia Crawford and Carl Crawford (Tonja), both of Portsmouth, VA; two sisters, Sarah Swart (John) and Shirley Kelly (Harold) of Northern Virginia; a granddaughter, Katie Wilkins (Jeremy), a great-granddaughter, Lila Jo, of Kill Devil Hills, NC, and numerous nieces and nephews.
One of nine children, Stanley grew up on the banks of the Elizabeth River and always lived within sight of it. That is where he developed his love of boating, fishing and crabbing. Many happy summer days revolved around a family boat ride followed by steaming crabs and cracking claws around the backyard picnic table.
The son of Bessie Lee (Williams) Crawford-Cole and Ernest Otto Crawford of Eure, Gates County, NC, Stanley was predeceased by sisters Irene Hanbury, Charlotte Lawrence and Hortense Pace; and brothers Clinton Crawford, Elbert Crawford and Ernest Crawford.
Stanley was a veteran of the Korean War, where he served in the special forces tank group. Upon his return, he joined the family hardware and furniture business, E.O. Crawford & Sons, established in downtown Portsmouth by his father nearly 100 years ago. He and his brothers and nephews owned and operated several Crawford House Ethan Allen Galleries in the Tidewater area and Williamsburg for many years.
A kind, selfless, unpretentious man, Stanley delighted in the little things â€" an ice-cold beer at the end of the day, a Redskins win, a good steak and baked potato. He was always willing to help anyone who needed a hand. A clear-headed problem-solver with a talent for making and fixing things, his unrelenting work ethic always required a project or activity of some kind to be in progress. Hard work aside, his retirement afforded him ample time to spend many leisurely days on his beloved Outer Banks with Katherine while visiting with friends, puttering around his vacation property and enjoying his favorite pastime, surf fishing.
Visitation will be held on Monday, July 29, at 2 p.m. at Sturtevant Funeral Home at 5201 Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, with a funeral service at 3 p.m., followed by burial at Olive Branch Cemetery.
Published in The Virginian Pilot from July 25 to July 26, 2019
Stanley Earl Crawford, 88, died on July 21, 2019, after a prolonged battle against cancer that slowly robbed him of his physical stamina but never diminished his inner strength, optimism and determination to remain independent to his final days.
He was a generous and loving father and deeply devoted to Katherine, his wife of 69 years. Despite his illness, he lovingly cared for her as she began to slip into the twilight of dementia in recent years. He is survived by Katherine; two children, Cynthia Crawford and Carl Crawford (Tonja), both of Portsmouth, VA; two sisters, Sarah Swart (John) and Shirley Kelly (Harold) of Northern Virginia; a granddaughter, Katie Wilkins (Jeremy), a great-granddaughter, Lila Jo, of Kill Devil Hills, NC, and numerous nieces and nephews.
One of nine children, Stanley grew up on the banks of the Elizabeth River and always lived within sight of it. That is where he developed his love of boating, fishing and crabbing. Many happy summer days revolved around a family boat ride followed by steaming crabs and cracking claws around the backyard picnic table.
The son of Bessie Lee (Williams) Crawford-Cole and Ernest Otto Crawford of Eure, Gates County, NC, Stanley was predeceased by sisters Irene Hanbury, Charlotte Lawrence and Hortense Pace; and brothers Clinton Crawford, Elbert Crawford and Ernest Crawford.
Stanley was a veteran of the Korean War, where he served in the special forces tank group. Upon his return, he joined the family hardware and furniture business, E.O. Crawford & Sons, established in downtown Portsmouth by his father nearly 100 years ago. He and his brothers and nephews owned and operated several Crawford House Ethan Allen Galleries in the Tidewater area and Williamsburg for many years.
A kind, selfless, unpretentious man, Stanley delighted in the little things â€" an ice-cold beer at the end of the day, a Redskins win, a good steak and baked potato. He was always willing to help anyone who needed a hand. A clear-headed problem-solver with a talent for making and fixing things, his unrelenting work ethic always required a project or activity of some kind to be in progress. Hard work aside, his retirement afforded him ample time to spend many leisurely days on his beloved Outer Banks with Katherine while visiting with friends, puttering around his vacation property and enjoying his favorite pastime, surf fishing.
Visitation will be held on Monday, July 29, at 2 p.m. at Sturtevant Funeral Home at 5201 Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, with a funeral service at 3 p.m., followed by burial at Olive Branch Cemetery.
Published in The Virginian Pilot from July 25 to July 26, 2019
He was a generous and loving father and deeply devoted to Katherine, his wife of 69 years. Despite his illness, he lovingly cared for her as she began to slip into the twilight of dementia in recent years. He is survived by Katherine; two children, Cynthia Crawford and Carl Crawford (Tonja), both of Portsmouth, VA; two sisters, Sarah Swart (John) and Shirley Kelly (Harold) of Northern Virginia; a granddaughter, Katie Wilkins (Jeremy), a great-granddaughter, Lila Jo, of Kill Devil Hills, NC, and numerous nieces and nephews.
One of nine children, Stanley grew up on the banks of the Elizabeth River and always lived within sight of it. That is where he developed his love of boating, fishing and crabbing. Many happy summer days revolved around a family boat ride followed by steaming crabs and cracking claws around the backyard picnic table.
The son of Bessie Lee (Williams) Crawford-Cole and Ernest Otto Crawford of Eure, Gates County, NC, Stanley was predeceased by sisters Irene Hanbury, Charlotte Lawrence and Hortense Pace; and brothers Clinton Crawford, Elbert Crawford and Ernest Crawford.
Stanley was a veteran of the Korean War, where he served in the special forces tank group. Upon his return, he joined the family hardware and furniture business, E.O. Crawford & Sons, established in downtown Portsmouth by his father nearly 100 years ago. He and his brothers and nephews owned and operated several Crawford House Ethan Allen Galleries in the Tidewater area and Williamsburg for many years.
A kind, selfless, unpretentious man, Stanley delighted in the little things â€" an ice-cold beer at the end of the day, a Redskins win, a good steak and baked potato. He was always willing to help anyone who needed a hand. A clear-headed problem-solver with a talent for making and fixing things, his unrelenting work ethic always required a project or activity of some kind to be in progress. Hard work aside, his retirement afforded him ample time to spend many leisurely days on his beloved Outer Banks with Katherine while visiting with friends, puttering around his vacation property and enjoying his favorite pastime, surf fishing.
Visitation will be held on Monday, July 29, at 2 p.m. at Sturtevant Funeral Home at 5201 Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, with a funeral service at 3 p.m., followed by burial at Olive Branch Cemetery.
Published in The Virginian Pilot from July 25 to July 26, 2019
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