Anthony Eugene Crawford

Hello, my name is Anthony “Gene” Eugene Crawford. I would like to share with you some of my life story. I was born on March 24, 1963, in Albion, Michigan to the late Elaine Crawford and Samuel Collins. I was baptized at Bethel Baptist Church at an early age.

In addition to being raised by my loving mother, I was blessed to be raised by Betty and Clarence (Preacher) Clark who were my mom’s cousins. They opened their doors and loved me as if I were their second son. I am also thankful for my Aunt Lizzie, Uncle Hosie, Uncle Herman and my sister Octavia for loving me, supporting me, raising me, molding me, shaping me and teaching me how to become the strong and caring man that I lived to be.

I loved living in Albion Michigan and attended Albion Public Schools. I played for the Albion football and basketball team and organized one of the school’s fashion shows. I am a proud Albion Wildcat member of the class of 1981.

I believed in having a good work ethic and retired from Washtenaw County Friend of the Court after 22 years and 7 months of service and immediately after retirement I began working for Ann Arbor Transit Authority where I was employed for over one year until the Lord called me home.

I enjoyed laughing and spending time with my friends and family during family gatherings (Clark Family Brunch), attending and listening to live R & B and jazz night concert series at Chene Park, Ypsilanti, Trenton, Dearborn and Cincinnati. I loved shopping, dressing and wearing monochromatic outfits. I was known to make a cameo appearance at the Albion Festival of Forks to catch up with my former classmates. I often came back home to Albion to provide emotional and grief support to friends and family when they lost their loved ones and/or celebrated them like you are blessing my family right now.

I loved my family, and they loved me. I loved my mother, father, sister Octavia, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephew, cousins and friends.

I want to thank Shirley Berry and Cynthia Every for blessing me the awesome privilege to become a proud father of three wonderful children Sally, Corwin (Emma) and Clayton (Zefiryn) whom I loved and cherished every day. I am so proud of them and how they provide and take care of their family and children. I enjoyed popping up on them, spending quality time with them whether it was playing football, basketball, watching sports, eating meals, talking with them and listening to them intently and making sure to withhold judgement and often sharing my countless, entertaining life stories because “That is what’s up”.

I was blessed and honored to be the grandfather to Syncere, Jesse, Sirenity, Briella, Noah, Zara and Quincy. I loved holding them, playing with their toys, talking about football and life, laughing with them, buying them gifts, watching You Tube, loving them and supporting them in their sport and various extracurricular activities.

I especially want to thank Joyce Rapp for answering my phone call, hearing the distress in my voice, observing the pain in my body and immediately transporting me to the hospital for emergency medical treatment. My family is forever grateful to you Joyce for this kind gesture because it allowed University of Michigan hospital to provide excellent medical care and ultimately preparing me to accept the Lord’s call saying “well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord”. Matthew 25:21

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” II Timothy 4:7-8

A Family Hour will be held at Bethel Baptist Church, 523 Washington St., Albion, MI 49224, on March 21, 2026, at 11:00 am, followed by a Memorial Service at 12:00 pm. He will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery, Albion, MI.