Benzie County MI Archives Photo Tombstone.....Crawford, Robert B ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Harold & Linda Saffron Lindaj50@charter.net October 19, 2006, 10:16 pm Cemetery: Benzonia Township Cemetery, MI. Name: Robert B Crawford Date Of Photograph: October 18, 2006 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/benzie/photos/tombstones/benzoniatownship/crawford71463gph.jpg Image file size: 137.2 Kb Robert B.Crawford b.1936 - d.2005 ------ Social Security Death Index Name: Robert B. Crawford SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX Last Residence: 49635 Frankfort, Benzie, Michigan Born: 25 Apr 1936 Last Benefit: 49635 Frankfort, Benzie, Michigan Died: 31 Mar 2005 State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan (1951 ) ------------------------ TRAVERSE CITY RECORD EAGLE - Apr. 3, 2005 Robert B. Crawford - Died March 31, 2005 ELBERTA -Robert B. Crawford, 68, of Elberta and formerly of Benzonia, passed away on Wednesday, March 31, 2005, after a short battle with lung cancer. His courageous last days came while resting peacefully at home surrounded by his beloved family. Bob was born on April 25, 1936, at his home in Beulah to Bernard and Jean Crawford. He graduated from high school in Benzonia and attended college at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. In 1955, Bob enlisted in the Army with his lifelong best friend, Arthur Hanmer. Following his years of military service, in 1961 he met Nancy Kay Stover. They married on Jan. 6, 1962, and became the proud parents of four children. Nancy passed away in 1994. Bob was blessed with love again and would meet Christeen Ruth Kibby. They married on May 24, 1997, and he spent the remainder of his life with her. Bob was a true entrepreneur. He became the proud owner of Frankfort Furniture in 1971, which later became Crawford's Flooring & Interiors in 1984. As a business owner, Bob illustrated the many trademarks of a small-town "mom and pop" business. He always had time for coffee and conversation while customers were shopping. Throughout Bob's 33-year career serving Benzie County, he would find himself involved in another passion of his that involved sports card collecting. In 1989, Bob opened Sportscard Studio in the Frankfort Mini-Mall. Over the years, Bob collected large amounts of sports cards and he wanted to share his excitement with the community. Over a period of several summer seasons, the card shop helped rekindle childhood days and motivated people to start collecting. This experience would become one of Bob's most fulfilling accomplishments of his career. He would often talk about his fondest memory of "watching many of the young Frankfort boys and girls grow up into great people over the years, and how everybody enjoyed hanging out at the card shop." Even though Bob became a successful businessman through the years, his proudest accomplishment had nothing to do with running a business. Bob wanted to be remembered for being Bob's, Deb's, Jim's, and Mike's Dad. His children were the "stars in his heart." While Bob himself never obtained a college education, all four of his children did. Bob's greatest achievement was "watching his beautiful family grow up, all achieving a higher level of education, and becoming great people while contributing to their own local communities." A man who loved the outdoors, Bob cherished all four seasons. He would often dream about spring, summer, winter, and fall, and how they motivated and inspired him. He really enjoyed hunting for snow shoe rabbits with his dad, sons, and beagles during the winter season. He especially loved the anticipation and excitement surrounding the return of his favorite bird, the Eastern Bluebird, as they arrived to their nesting boxes in the springtime. Bob is survived by his loving wife, Christeen; daughter, Debra (Ed) King of Owosso; three sons, Robert (Cindy) Crawford of Laingsburg, James Crawford of Grand Rapids and Michael (Marie) Crawford of Madison, Wis.; stepchildren, Eric (Susannah) McNitt of Tarpon Springs, Fla. and Narda (Kent) Hughson of Interlochen; sister, Betty (Mike) Humphrey of Manton; grandchildren; Amber Crawford, Courtney King, Brad King and Lucas Hughson; cousins; nieces and nephews; sisters and brothers in-law; and other relatives and friends. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Jean Crawford; first wife, Nancy Stover Crawford; and brother, Allen Crawford Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2005, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., at McElduff Funeral Home in Benzonia. Funeral services will be Thursday, April 7, 2005, at 11 a.m., also at the funeral home, and will be officiated by Reverend Steve Davidson. Visitation will also be available at 10 a.m. prior to the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Michigan Bluebird Society, Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail or Little League of Benzie County. The Benzonia Chapel of McElduff Funeral Home and Cremation Service is handling the arrangements. ------- File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/benzie/photos/tombstones/benzoniatownship/crawford71463gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb