Lawrence Raymond Crawford, 84, Iola, died Friday, June 17, 2011, at his home.
He was born Sept. 24, 1926, at Osage, the son of William Medford and Hazel Rachel Viola May (Rider) Crawford. He grew up on a farm southeast of Humboldt and was a member of the Humboldt High School class of 1946.
On June 28, 1947, he married Dorothy Jean Adams in Iola and they made their home in Humboldt. He worked for Glen Bradford in a hardware store in Humboldt until it burned. The business was rebuilt in Iola as Bradford Tractor Sales and Glen Bradford sold it to Lawrence and Kenny Storrer and they named their business Crawford & Storrer Implement Company. Lawrence and Dorothy moved to Iola in 1967. Dorothy preceded him in death on Aug. 26, 1974.
When Lawrence retired in 1991, Kenny bought his share of the company. After retirement, Lawrence worked at Country Mart in Iola.
He married Ola L. Sparks on May 24, 2007, and they lived in Iola. She died Dec. 31, 2010.
He enjoyed tractor pulling and fishing. He had served as an Iola Auxiliary Policeman and Iola Storm Watcher.
He is survived a son, Larry, and his wife, Carol, Iola; six sisters, Elsie Byers and her husband, Don, Chanute, Rachel Almond and her husband, Glen, Dayton, Ore., Shirley Moody and her husband, Leonard, Polson, Mont., Evelyn Buchanan and her husband, Gary, Scappoose, Oreg., Peggy Milner and her husband, Clao, Polson, and Sharon Hanson and her husband, Rodney, Polson; a granddaughter, two great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
A sister, Betty Jean Crawford, preceded him in death.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery in Humboldt, the Rev. Lloyd W. Houk officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Chapel in Iola.
Memorials may be made to Allen County Home Health or Allen County Hospice and left with the funeral home.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.
Lawrence Crawford
