Donald Ray Crawford || Obituary

Photo: Submitted

Donald Ray Crawford, 85, of Paris, went to his heavenly home on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at Heritage House of Paris. Funeral services will be conducted at 4:00 PM Friday, January 14, 2022, in the chapel of Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Myre officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery with Benny Joe Dollins, Gerron Jackson, Tony Ballard, Lynn English, Scotty Williams and Randy Armstrong serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Jonathan Crawford, Shawn Clark and Joseph Thornhill. U.S. Army Funeral Detail will conduct military graveside services. Family will receive friends one hour prior to service.

He was born on February 1, 1936, in Post Oak, Texas a son of Carl G. and Iva Marjorie Hardin Crawford. He proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1958 till 1960 and transferred to U.S. Army Reserves in 1978 and retired in 1996 after 21 years of service. Mr. Crawford was assigned to the 952nd and earned the rank of staff sergeant. 

Donald completed the 10th grade in school and had to drop out to help his Mom and Dad but went on to complete his GED. He received a Bachelor of Theology from Tupelo Pentecostal Bible Institute and received an Associate in Machine Shop Technology from PJC.

He was a medical orderly in Texarkana, a boilermaker at Babcock & Wilcox for 25 years and a door greeter at Walmart for 10 years. He had been a minister with the United Pentecostal Church. Mr. Crawford was a faithful and active member of United Pentecostal Church of Paris.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Virginia Elois Crowe Crawford on February 28, 2017,his parents and brothers, Billy & Dudley Crawford.

Mr. Crawford is survived by his sons, Nathan and wife, Cindy Crawford of Paris and Phillip and wife Marguerite Crawford of Black Mountain, N.C.; grandchildren, Jonathan and wife Elia Crawford of Dallas, Anna Crawford of Eielson AFB in Alaska, Beverly and husband Shawn Clark of Fredricksburg, VA and Joseph and wife, Sara Thornhill of Slidell, LA and great-grandchildren, KayCee, Lainey, Abigail, Jet and Jonah. 

The Crawford family wishes to convey their appreciation for the wonderful care and kindness received by Mr. Crawford by On Call Hospice, Doris, April and Amanda and Staff and Nurses at Heritage House of Paris.

The family requests that those attending visitation and funeral service wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Online condolences may be sent to the Crawford Family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com.