Richard Lynn Crawford was born May 18, 1953, to Julian and Ellen (Kerzmann) Crawford. He was raised on a farm near Emmet, North Dakota and attended grade school at White Shield. He was the youngest of five children. The family moved to Garrison in 1967 where he graduated from high in 1971. He joined the Ironworkers and worked at several power plants in the area. He married Karen Geier on Aug. 19, 1977 and together they raised one son, Ben. He enrolled at Wahpeton State School of Science and earned a degree in architectural drafting and estimating. His first job after gradutation with Al Kosir, AIA. He later worked for Tvenge Associates, and then completed his career with Northwest Contracting. In 2013, he and Karen became snowbirds when they purchased a home in Fountain Hills, Arizona. He retired in May 2018. Richard had rare charisma and connection with people that allowed him to establish deep lasting friendships with people from all walks of life. The last 20 years of his career was spent at Northwest Contracting where his coworkers, owners and contractors became his second family. Each and every project included countless hours of time and energy and his belief that no project was complete until done right was a true testament of his work ethic. Richard's influence can be seen in several buildings in the Bismarck area including the Gold Seal Building, the Bismarck Civic Center and Cedric Theel Toyota. He was particularly proud of his final project, Bismarck Ale Works prior to his retirement.
These same traits carried over to his personal life at their winter home in Arizona, where he made many new friends in the Thunder Ridge community and was always willing to help a neighbor with a project or advice. He was also proud of the fact that he and Karen lived in the same Bismarck home for 42 years. He loved to maintain and remodeling it, and would say with a smile , "anyone can build a new house, but it takes a real man to remodel".
Richard had numerous interests, all of which he pursued with his characteristic passion and attention to details. His hobbies included golfing, cooking, gardening, hiking and he spent many hours playing"Words with Friends". He never forgot his rural roots and growing up on the farm just minutes from Lake Sakakawea instilled in him a lifelong love of nature, fishing, camping and water skiing. He was the first to build a campfire and loved the conversations and stories that followed with family and friends.
But his favorite pastimes was playing and collecting guitars and he rarely missed a day without playing since his retirement. He loved anything "old country" including George Jones, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. His favorite song writer was John Prine and he was blessed to see him perform twice at Red Rocks, Colorado. He spent endless hours in his garden working on his drip system and growing different varieties of tomatoes. He enjoyed spending time with his family including Sadie, their cairn terrier and with life long friends. He was never without a tape measure and was always willing to help others no matter what size of project. Richard "Crow" Crawford was a friend to many and will be missed by many. While in Arizona, Richard passed away peacefully at Honor Health Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona surrounded by his family after a two week battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
These same traits carried over to his personal life at their winter home in Arizona, where he made many new friends in the Thunder Ridge community and was always willing to help a neighbor with a project or advice. He was also proud of the fact that he and Karen lived in the same Bismarck home for 42 years. He loved to maintain and remodeling it, and would say with a smile , "anyone can build a new house, but it takes a real man to remodel".
Richard had numerous interests, all of which he pursued with his characteristic passion and attention to details. His hobbies included golfing, cooking, gardening, hiking and he spent many hours playing"Words with Friends". He never forgot his rural roots and growing up on the farm just minutes from Lake Sakakawea instilled in him a lifelong love of nature, fishing, camping and water skiing. He was the first to build a campfire and loved the conversations and stories that followed with family and friends.
But his favorite pastimes was playing and collecting guitars and he rarely missed a day without playing since his retirement. He loved anything "old country" including George Jones, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. His favorite song writer was John Prine and he was blessed to see him perform twice at Red Rocks, Colorado. He spent endless hours in his garden working on his drip system and growing different varieties of tomatoes. He enjoyed spending time with his family including Sadie, their cairn terrier and with life long friends. He was never without a tape measure and was always willing to help others no matter what size of project. Richard "Crow" Crawford was a friend to many and will be missed by many. While in Arizona, Richard passed away peacefully at Honor Health Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona surrounded by his family after a two week battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Richard Lynn Crawford was born May 18, 1953, to Julian and Ellen (Kerzmann) Crawford. He was raised on a farm near Emmet, North Dakota and attended grade school at White Shield. He was the youngest of five children. The family moved to Garrison in 1967 where he graduated from high in 1971. He joined the Ironworkers and worked at several power plants in the area. He married Karen Geier on Aug. 19, 1977 and together they raised one son, Ben. He enrolled at Wahpeton State School of Science and earned a degree in architectural drafting and estimating. His first job after gradutation with Al Kosir, AIA. He later worked for Tvenge Associates, and then completed his career with Northwest Contracting. In 2013, he and Karen became snowbirds when they purchased a home in Fountain Hills, Arizona. He retired in May 2018. Richard had rare charisma and connection with people that allowed him to establish deep lasting friendships with people from all walks of life. The last 20 years of his career was spent at Northwest Contracting where his coworkers, owners and contractors became his second family. Each and every project included countless hours of time and energy and his belief that no project was complete until done right was a true testament of his work ethic. Richard's influence can be seen in several buildings in the Bismarck area including the Gold Seal Building, the Bismarck Civic Center and Cedric Theel Toyota. He was particularly proud of his final project, Bismarck Ale Works prior to his retirement.
These same traits carried over to his personal life at their winter home in Arizona, where he made many new friends in the Thunder Ridge community and was always willing to help a neighbor with a project or advice. He was also proud of the fact that he and Karen lived in the same Bismarck home for 42 years. He loved to maintain and remodeling it, and would say with a smile , "anyone can build a new house, but it takes a real man to remodel".
Richard had numerous interests, all of which he pursued with his characteristic passion and attention to details. His hobbies included golfing, cooking, gardening, hiking and he spent many hours playing"Words with Friends". He never forgot his rural roots and growing up on the farm just minutes from Lake Sakakawea instilled in him a lifelong love of nature, fishing, camping and water skiing. He was the first to build a campfire and loved the conversations and stories that followed with family and friends.
But his favorite pastimes was playing and collecting guitars and he rarely missed a day without playing since his retirement. He loved anything "old country" including George Jones, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. His favorite song writer was John Prine and he was blessed to see him perform twice at Red Rocks, Colorado. He spent endless hours in his garden working on his drip system and growing different varieties of tomatoes. He enjoyed spending time with his family including Sadie, their cairn terrier and with life long friends. He was never without a tape measure and was always willing to help others no matter what size of project. Richard "Crow" Crawford was a friend to many and will be missed by many. While in Arizona, Richard passed away peacefully at Honor Health Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona surrounded by his family after a two week battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
These same traits carried over to his personal life at their winter home in Arizona, where he made many new friends in the Thunder Ridge community and was always willing to help a neighbor with a project or advice. He was also proud of the fact that he and Karen lived in the same Bismarck home for 42 years. He loved to maintain and remodeling it, and would say with a smile , "anyone can build a new house, but it takes a real man to remodel".
Richard had numerous interests, all of which he pursued with his characteristic passion and attention to details. His hobbies included golfing, cooking, gardening, hiking and he spent many hours playing"Words with Friends". He never forgot his rural roots and growing up on the farm just minutes from Lake Sakakawea instilled in him a lifelong love of nature, fishing, camping and water skiing. He was the first to build a campfire and loved the conversations and stories that followed with family and friends.
But his favorite pastimes was playing and collecting guitars and he rarely missed a day without playing since his retirement. He loved anything "old country" including George Jones, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. His favorite song writer was John Prine and he was blessed to see him perform twice at Red Rocks, Colorado. He spent endless hours in his garden working on his drip system and growing different varieties of tomatoes. He enjoyed spending time with his family including Sadie, their cairn terrier and with life long friends. He was never without a tape measure and was always willing to help others no matter what size of project. Richard "Crow" Crawford was a friend to many and will be missed by many. While in Arizona, Richard passed away peacefully at Honor Health Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona surrounded by his family after a two week battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
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