Francis J. "Frank" Crawford

Francis J. "Frank" Crawford, 76, passed away on Thursday, April 22, 2010, in Commerce.

Frank was a nursing home administrator and a U. S. Army veteran. He was also an Elder for 45 years and an active member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He received his BS and BA from the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. Frank was the Past President of the Kiwanis Club in California and in Montrose,Colorado; and, he was a past member of the Commerce Lions Club.

Frank's first job right out of college was as an accountant for Continental Airlines and from there went on to be in the nursing home business for 45 years as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, an owner-administrator, a regional vice-president and operational vice-president of two nursing home chains: Geriatrics Inc. and Adventist Living Centers.

Frank was born in Livonia, Missouri, on October 11, 1933, to Francis L. Crawford and Grace Delena Grogan Crawford. He had been a Commerce resident since 1995.

He married Catherine Jane Woicinski in Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 1, 1956.

Frank is survived by his wife, Catherine Jane Crawford; his son, Michael Bennett Crawford of Commerce; his daughter, Charlotte Crawford Bobek of Chicago, Illinois; and his brother, Larry Wayne Crawford of Lincoln, Nebraska; ten grandchildren: Iris Elizabeth Crawford, Jacqueline Bobek, James Bobek, Sarah Bobek, Michael Braeden Francis Crawford, Tracey Rothbauer, Robert Pearson, Jeridyn Pearson, Justin Pearson, and Dakota Johnson; and his great-grandson, Eric Chavez.He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Alberta Crawford Chaffee.

Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, April 26, 2010, at Jones-Walker & Son Funeral Home Chapel at 3:00 p.m. with Pastor James Buckmaster of the Seventh Day Adventist Church officiating.

Interment will follow in Rosemound Cemetery in Commerce.

Visitation will be held on Monday beginning at 2:00 p.m. until service time.

Pallbearers will be Duane Murray, Fred Shelton, Scott Chaffee, Jeff Chaffee, Robert Pearson III, Justin Pearson, Dakota Johnson, and James Bobek.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Ronnie Pritchett, Roy Owen and John Brewer