Willie A. Crawford

Published 11:12 am Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Rev. Willie A. Crawford, 91, of Pine Apple, Ala., died Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017 at his home. A funeral service will be Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the chapel of Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home with Reverend Don Bell, Speaker Don Donald and Reverend Bobby Crawford officiating and Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home directing. Burial will be Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 at 1 p.m. at Gordo City Cemetery in Gordo, Ala. Visitation was held Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home.

Rev. Willie A. Crawford was born to Bill A. and Nancy Lewis Crawford on August 29, 1926.  He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, reverend and friend.  Mr. Crawford served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  Later, he began working with and retired from B.F. Goodrich in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  He was adamant that an education was important and proved this by earning his Bachelor’s followed by his Master’s in Theology while working and raising a family.  He had a strong faith in God for more than 60 years and touched many lives in the various churches he pastored.  Brother Crawford has been referred to by many as “everybody’s preacher” and until his death, he still pastored not one but two churches which were Bethsaida Baptist Church in Furman, Alabama and McWilliams Baptist Church in McWilliams, Alabama.   

Mr. Crawford is preceded in death by his parents, Bill A. and Nancy Lewis Crawford; sons, Gary “Clark” Crawford and George Thomas Foy; daughter-in-law, Liz Crawford and grandsons, Anthony and Michael Cauthen.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Carolyn F. Crawford, Pineapple, AL; children, David Crawford, Robert (Teresa) Crawford, Andrew (Roxane) Crawford, Kathy (Bo) Brogden, Raymond Foy and Barry (Trudy) Foy; daughter in law, Denise Foy; grandchildren, Dana (Phillip) Bernardo, Wendy Butler, Brian (Crystal) Crawford, Joel (Carla) Crawford, Libby Crawford, Steven (Lindsey) Crawford, Shaun (Shandell) Foy, Shannon Foy, Whitney Foy, T.J. Foy, Josh Foy, Shelby Foy, Courtney (Anson) Howard and Brandi (Greg) Waites; 19 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild; siblings, Alston (Jessie) Crawford, Frances Crow and Polly Mays; a number of nieces and nephews; honorary children, Chuck and Kim Owens and honorary grandchildren, Miller, Deaton and Sarah Elizabeth Owens. 

Pallbearers will be Phillip Bernardo, Tony Brantley, Brian Crawford, Shaun Foy, Chuck Owens, Deaton Owens, Miller Owens and Greg Waites.

Mr. Crawford’s family extends a special thank you to SouthernCare Hospice of Grove Hill, Alabama for the excellent care provided to him during his time of sickness and for the kindness shown to his family.

The family will accept flowers or donations may be made to Bethsaida Baptist Church, 4212 County Road 59, PineApple, AL 36768 or McWilliams Baptist Church, 129 County Road #2, PineApple, AL 36768.