Calvin C. Crawford

Calvin C. Crawford age 83, died peacefully on Sunday, January 28, 2018. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded and secured with the endless love of his wife, family, and friends in his beautiful home in Lakewood CO. He was born on January 26, 1935 on a farm in Cowles Nebraska, to James and Loretta Crawford (Meents). Cal attended Eckley High School, by the time that his senior year rolled around, he was proudly named king of athletics, all stater, and number one center; scoring 52 pts in his top game. Dating the girl of his dreams his junior and senior years of high school, Cal and Lavonne were voted together as king and queen of athletics. This was the beginning of 63 beautiful years of marriage. All his amazing skills in basketball got him a four-year scholarship to multiple colleges. Cal then moved to Hastings Nebraska, where he worked in construction. On June 27, 1954 Cal Crawford and Lavonne Bangert were married at Calvary Lutheran Church, in Rosemont Nebraska; at ages 19 and 17 years old. Their marriage was blessed a year and a half later with the start of his precious four daughters, within five years. Cal worked at Western Land Roller in February of 1964 up until November 1957. There he learned his machinist skills. After being laid off, he worked at Kerr Plastic for one month; earning a dollar an hour. He was hired back to Western Land Roller as a welder, where he worked until September 1959. Cal then went to work at Hastings Industries as a welder until September 11, 1962. He had been getting sick with his lungs not tolerating the welding. He then realized that it was time to change jobs. From September 1962- May 1963 with a cute little wife, and four children, he went back to college, in Grand Island Nebraska; where he earned his business degree. All of this was made possible with Lavonne going back to work, butchering a cow to put food on the table, and his spunky mother in law moving in to watch the children. With this, he was able to learn a new trade. Hard as it was to leave his family to look for a job in an office, he left for Denver. Cal was blessed to start working at Beltone Hearing Aid on July 16,1963. He was then able to move his whole family down to Denver Colorado with him so that they could all be together. Many people say “poor Cal! Four girls?” He was spoiled rotten. However, it didn’t come easily, he worked hard to prove how much he loved each and every one of us. He never stopped at anything to ensure that we were all happy and knew that we were loved. Big game hunting and relaxation were his passions. He loved teaching his “girls”, All the enjoyment of the outdoors and the safety of hunting. He was one proud daddy when his girls got their deer, elk, and antelope. This gave him the upmost bragging rights to all his hunting buddies. Oh, the stories that his best friend Gary could tell. In 1966, he found the famous family home located on 213 Quay St. He worked at Beltone till May 31, 1969. He went back as a machinist on June 2, 1969- October 28, 1970 at CF&I engineers. He then went onto working for Worthington from October 1970- March 29,1971. During this time, he was in a car accident and was put into a full back brace; he was once again laid off. However, all of Cal’s hard work paid off, and in May 1971, he was asked to come to work for Inland Container as a machinist, and maintenance. He had been referred by the company, who had laid him off. After a long 28 years of working for Inland, his hard work had finally paid off and he was able to retire. He had worked for a total of 47 years. Even though there were days that he came home exhausted from a long day of hard work and could hardly walk, he never failed to give his family and beautiful wife the love and attention that they so desperately longed for. Prior to his retirement in 2000, Cal was incredibly blessed with the gift of hearing. He had gotten a cochlear implant and was able to enjoy and hear the wonders of the world and his grandchildren. The first words that he heard were Lavonne telling him “I love you Cal” he responded by saying “I love you too”. He was able to hear his youngest granddaughter cooing for the first time. Grandpas chair and lap quickly became everyone’s “safe place”. No matter how sick he felt, there was never a time that he would decline one of his babies to sit on his lap. Whenever any of us was feeling low, we could always depend on coming to grandpa’s house and being welcomed with open arms, a lap to sit on, and the most loving eyes that you’ve ever seen. No explanation was ever needed. If you walked in with tears in your eyes, he would just simple hold you and tell you that everything would be okay. One of his famous sayings that got many of us through the toughest of days is when he would look at you with his big brown eyes filled with love and tell you that “everything will be okay, tomorrow this will be yesterday” he would then wipe the tears from our eyes and hold us in his arms until we felt better. His shoulders were never too small for anyone to cry on. He truly put the man in gentleman. Grandpa carried and held us our entire lives. It is now our turn to hold him in our hearts. Nothing could have ever made any of us prepared to lose the most amazing and godly man that any of us had ever met. He taught us the true meaning of love. He is an amazing role model that every man should strive to become, and if you don’t you better know that grandpa will be standing right there with his famous point. Cal was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. This man of faith was an usher, greeter, treasurer, and was dedicated to involving himself as much as possible into church. This beautiful man was known by many names, husband, dad, grandpaw, grandpa, papa, mentor, hunting buddy, and a good friend. Cal is survived by, his beautiful and loving wife: Lavonne; his four daughters: Cindy (Spence) Fowler, Deb (Dave) Wilson, Pam White, and Peggy Daniel; His thirteen grandchildren: Melissa, Marianne, Katie, Lyndie, Paul, Alicyn, Joel, Andrew, Elizabeth, Keri, Brent, Tyler, Payge; his Ten great grandchildren: Dexter Calvin, Landon, Hali, Dakota, James, Cullin, Wyatt, Brandon, Cameron, Lexie; one great great grandchild: Ethan and his best friend: Gary He is proceeded in death by, his parents: Jim and Loretta Crawford; his sister: Roxine Hoit; his brothers in law: George Hoit, and Orville Kirchner; His son in law: David Daniel; And great Granddaughter: Breslin Davis. Calvin Crawford was a hero to us all and will never be forgotten. Rest in peace grandpa we love you so much and you will always be in our hearts.

Visitation will be Thursday, February 1, 2018 from 4-6 pm at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary. Funeral Services will be Friday, February 2, 2018 at 11:00am at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (20th and Wadsworth). Burial at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Thornton.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 303-238-7676, for their Radio Broadcast, KLTT Radio 670 AM.