Christopher Taylor Crawley

He was born May 26, 1960 in Exeter, NH to Maj. Drury B Crawley III and Jane Anne Taylor Crawley.

Chris and his family lived in Roswell, NM, Rapid City, SD, and Omaha, NE before settling in Sharon, TN – close to Martin TN after his Dad retired from the Air Force.

Chris went to middle school in Sharon, TN and high school in Martin TN where he graduated from Westview High School. He went on to the University of Tennessee at Martin and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1983.

Chris had a love for flying from an early age. He earned a private pilot license when he was 16 years old. After graduating from college, he joined the Air Force and was accepted in the pilot program. He went to Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas – During his stay in Lubbock, he met the love of his life, Jerilyn Willis Crawley – at First Baptist Church Lubbock. Chris and Jerilyn were married on March 1, 1986 in Plainview, TX.

After graduating from Pilot Training, he was stationed at McChord AFB, WA where he flew C-141s. While there, he was an instructor pilot which included instructing Air Refueling and Air-Drop along with flying missions all over the world. During this time in Washington state, he welcomed his first son Tristan. He moved to Altus AFB, OK in 1989 where he was exclusively an instructor pilot. During this time he flew in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the first Gulf War.

He transferred from Active Duty to the Air National Guard at Jackson, MS in 1991. While in Jackson, he welcomed his second son Trent. After a few years in the Jackson Guard, he went to work full time at the National Guard Bureau in Washington DC working first at Andrews AFB, MD and then at The Pentagon. Chris transferred to Memphis Air National Guard when he started working at FedEx. He retired from the Air Force after 23 years as a Lieutenant Colonel. His military honors included:

Rank of Lt. Colonel and Command Pilot

Air Force Accommodation Medal, Air Medal, Air Force Training Ribbon, Southwest Asia Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award, Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Combat Readiness Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Aircraft Commander Aerial Refueling.

Chris started flying for FedEx in 1995 – His absolute dream job.

Chris flew the Boeing 727, DC10, DC11, MD10 and the MD11 as Captain until he became ill in May 2022. He especially loved flying on international trips and chasing the Sun. During his time as a pilot, he visited over 50 countries on his goal to see the world.

Chris loved his family – his wife, his boys and his grandsons. He especially loved being at the Crawley family farm in Florence, MS. This was his playground. He was the farm manager where he planned and organized tree planting and maintained the farm while teaching his sons everything there was to know about how to run the farm from operating equipment, cutting trees, wood working, maintaining equipment to plumbing and electrical. He taught his sons to fish and shoot there too.

Chris and family had many fun vacations. There were ski trips to West Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado and Montana and other various travels to fun destinations. He also enjoyed his many visits to Orange Beach in Alabama. These were great times together.

Chris was a very loving, generous, and giving person. He would always ask people what he could do for them.

He was a member of Collierville First Baptist Church in the Flock for Christ class. Chris trusted Christ as his Savior when he was 9 years old and continued to grow in his faithfulness and walk with the Lord throughout his life.

He was involved with Boy Scout Troop 331 in Collierville where he served on the Board and went on countless camping trips. He was also coach for the Collierville High School Trap Team for 3 years. He had a love for fishing and the outdoors.

Chris is survived by his mother, Jane Anne Taylor Crawley, his wife, Jerilyn, his sons, Tristan Crawley and his wife Abigail, and Trent Crawley. Grandsons, Taylor and Eli Crawley, brother Drury Crawley and wife Anne.

He was preceded in death by his father Maj. Drury B Crawley III.

Visitation will be held Thursday, March 9, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Collierville Funeral Home, 534 West Poplar Avenue, Collierville, TN 38017. A second visitation will occur Friday, March 10, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Collierville First Baptist Church, 830 New Byhalia Road, Collierville, TN 38017, followed by the funeral service at 11:00. A committal service will occur Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Mountain Creek Cemetery, Highway 469, Florence, MS 39073.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Brinkley Heights Urban Academy or Memphis Union Mission.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.colliervillefuneral.com for the Crawley family.