Obituary for Robert John Crawford

Robert J. Crawford Robert John Crawford was born October 14, 1930 in Traer, Iowa the son of Ralph and Edith Lewis Crawford. Bob received his education in Traer and graduated with the class of 1948. On February 28, 1954 he was united in marriage to Shirley Franklin at the First Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine, Iowa. He worked in the area before entering the US Marine Corp. Bob served his country during the Korean War in the Mediterranean. Following his discharge he returned to Traer where he worked for Franklin Earley in the earth moving business until 1954 when he started farming with his father and brother, eventually farming on his own and working as a rural mail carrier for the US Postal Service retiring in 1994. Bob was active in the American Legion Kubik Finch Post #142, the Masonic Lodge and the Rural Letter Carriers Association. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Following retirement Bob continued farming until he was diagnosed with cancer in May of 2001. He became ill a year later and his death came in his home on Monday, May 19 at the age of 72 years. He enjoyed riding around Traer on his surveillance machine and checking on everybody in town, attending auctions, eating at Meskwaki, working in his machine shed and spending time with his family. He is preceded in death by his parents and a son-in-law, Dave Benter. He is survived by his wife Shirley ; one son Jim and his wife Nancy of Cedar Rapids; two daughters, Linda Bryant and husband Nathan of Sullivan, Wisconsin, Penny Benter of Cedar Rapids; four grandchildren; a brother Don Crawford, and a sister, Donna Wolfgram both of Traer;one sister-in-law, Virginia Engel;four brothers-in-law, Bob, Dave, Tom and Rich Franklin, and twenty one nieces and nephews