Gene Crawford, Sr.

Gene Nelson Crawford, Sr., age 79, died Monday, June 8, 2020 at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills.

Gene was born July 18, 1940 in Henrietta, NC to the late Willie Grayson Crawford and Mary Teseniar Crawford.  Gene, also known as Dad, Daddy Rabbit, Papa, and Pee Paw, spent his entire life providing for his wife and family. His generosity of heart led many to call him their best friend, and many more saw him as a mentor. He provided quiet guidance and gentle encouragement behind the scenes for so many. He was a golf buddy, a fishing partner, and a fellow nature lover. As a successful business owner, he was a well-known member of the business forms community. He served on community boards, was a former preacher, a volunteer police officer and an outspoken, opinionated, stubborn, lovable man whose heart held a tender place for his wife, his children, his grandkids and great-grand kids, and his dogs, Pepper, Coco and Bear. He loved Elvis and the Blues, sang gospel music with his sweet sisters and selflessly devoted his entire life to creating a family, a legacy of love and hope, grace and forgiveness, faith and friendship with his beautiful and devoted wife, Judy. He lived by the words, "Always do what you have to do, before you do what you want to do." His gentle and loving spirit lives on in every single soul he touched.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of sixty-four years, Judy Green Crawford; three daughters, Anita Crawford Emery (David) of Selah, Washington, Amber Crawford Chandler (Matthew) of Buffalo, NY and Brandie Crawford Provenzano (Christopher) of Haymarket, Virginia; three sons, Nelson Crawford, Jr. of Spindale, Mark Crawford of Rutherfordton and Erick Crawford of Charlotte; three sisters, Patricia Crawford McEntyre of Ellenboro, Katherine Crawford Smith of Forest City and Sandra Crawford White of Spindale. He is also survived by many loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2020 at the Shingle Hollow Congregational Holiness Church with Reverend Jack Crain officiating. The family requests that masks be worn by all those who attend, and social distancing protocols be observed.

Memorial donations are requested St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org/donate