SIOUX CITY -- Donald Melvin Crawford, 86, of Sioux City died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, at a Sioux City hospital following a brief illness.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Tony Nester officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the U.S. Air Force. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent online to
www.christysmith.com
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Don was born July 6, 1924, in Burbank, S.D., the son of Charles D. and Annie T. (Bultman) Crawford. The family lived in Burbank until 1927, when they moved to the Merrill, Iowa, area, where he attended school. In 1945, Don enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in Japan. After his discharge from the service, he came to Sioux City.
He was united in marriage to Lois Ann Hummel on May 12, 1956, in South Sioux City. He was employed as a mechanic for Graham Brake Co. He then worked for Mack Truck Co. as a diesel mechanic. He then owned and operated his own garage in Sioux City. He was then employed as a truck driver for Wayne Ice and Cold Storage Co. in Wayne, Neb. He then became a driver and later a warehouse supervisor for De.De. Beverage in Sioux City. He retired around 1996.
He was a member of the Teamsters Union and the Retired Teamsters. He also was a member of the Disabled American Veteran Post 54. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, where he served as an usher and volunteer. He was an assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 221 Boy Scouts of America.
Don enjoyed fishing, gardening, and traveling. Don and Lois were members of the Cutty's Camping and Resort Group of Spirit Lake, Iowa. He was known as Mr. Fix-it and everybody's go-to man.
He is survived by his wife, Lois A. of Sioux City; two sons, Melvin Crawford and his special friend, Kelli Jaacks, both of Sioux City and Michael Crawford and his wife, Joyce of Remsen, Iowa; a daughter, Tammy McElroy and her husband, Lacy of Conway, Ark.; a brother, George Crawford and his wife, Pat of Burlington, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Adam Crawford, Lee Crawford, Melissa Crawford, McKale Crawford, Amanda Fisher, Tyler McElroy, and Rachel McElroy; and four great-grandchildren, Zachary Crawford, Paige Crawford, Isabella Arens and Cameron Fisher.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and 10 brothers and sisters, Minnie Carlson, Dorothy Millage, Amanda Bucy, Martha Dallen, Mabel Peters, Harry, John, Howard, Harvey and Elmer Crawford.