A. Gail Crawford

Gail was born the 7th of March 1938, in Clinton, Oklahoma, the third son of Arthur Clyde Crawford and Lena Mae Whitis Crawford. At the age of one, his family moved to Enid, Oklahoma. Growing up in Enid, Gail loved spending his summers with family at the Whitis ranch in Lampasas, Texas, playing sports, especially baseball and basketball, and he had particularly fond memories of playing varsity basketball for Enid High School. Upon graduating in 1956, Gail then followed the footsteps of his mother and two older brothers to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where he pledged the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts and went on to receive his JD from SMU Dedman School of Law in 1963.

After graduating from law school, Gail remained in Dallas to commence his career and start his family. He was always involved in all family activities, including coaching youth sports, traveling to Colorado to snow ski, playing tennis and golf, and water skiing on Lake Travis (with a special affinity for Hippie Hollow). Gail’s career path included practicing law and working in insurance and real estate. In the late 1960’s, Gail decided to go out on his own and had a successful run developing hotels, mini-storage units, and apartments. In the early 1970’s, he became involved in a small gas distribution facility. From then on, until the end of his days, he was active in oil and gas exploration, his true professional passion, alongside longtime business partner Tommy Hughes.

Gail served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Medical Center Library, the Main Street Bank of Dallas, and Town North Bank of Dallas. He was selected as a member of the Dallas 40 and in 2013 as best CEO for Small Texas Top Producers.

Gail and Charlotte enjoyed spending summers at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, especially watching the sunset on their porch with the view of Pike’s Peak, J&B in hand, and participating in the Nine and Dine at Kissing Camels Golf Club on Sunday afternoons. They loved gathering with old and new friends at the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, Houston Country Club, and the Forest Club, where he served as president in 1998. When in Houston, Gail never wanted to miss his Wednesday tennis group or his Thursday lunch group, and he played tennis and golf into his 80’s. He also enjoyed walking with Charlotte along Tanglewood Boulevard. While Gail endured Charlotte’s love of Celine Dion with a smile, his real musical passion was classic country and honkytonk dancing!

Preceded in death by his parents, his two brothers Durwood and Carlan, son-in-law John Cutting, he is survived by his wife and love of his life of 33 years, Charlotte Walker Crawford, his son Dan Crawford and wife Martha, daughter Cathy Clements and husband Todd, stepchildren Robin Wombwell and husband John, Holli Cutting, and Brett McCuistion, sister-in-law Carolyn Walker Brent and husband Alton. Lovingly known as Crawdaddy to his grandchildren, Hudson Crawford and fiancé Devin Jones, Claire Crawford, Hannah Clements, Shaw Clements, Burkley Wombwell Fitzsimons and husband Jonny, Stewart Wombwell, Elizabeth Cutting, CC Cutting, and Luke McCuistion, and great grandchildren James and Henry Fitzsimons.

The family would like to give special thanks to Blanca Cruz and Stephen Obinna for their dedicated care of Gail and Charlotte.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Gail from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 11th of July in the Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 12th of July in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive, where The Rev. Martin J. Bastian, Vice-Rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church is to officiate. Immediately following all are invited to greet the family during a reception at a venue to be announced during the service.

For those unable to attend the service in-person, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Gail’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the "Join Livestream" icon on the service section. While there you may also share fond memories and words of comfort and condolences with his family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude for memorial contributions to be directed towards St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road, Houston, Texas, 77056 and the Houston Humane Society, 14700 Almeda Road, Houston, Texas 77053.