Drury Browne Crawley, III

Drury was an USAF Aviation Cadet. He earned his navigator wings and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on November 3, 1954. He was later rated as a Senior pilot and Missile launch officer. He was selected to be an instructor and standardization pilot. Drury served three 6 month tours in South East Asia. His last assignment was at Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska flying the SAC Inspector General and his team. Retiring at the rank of Major after 22 years of active service, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, 5 Air Medals, and the Young Tiger award for flying over 120 missions in South East Asia.

His career, prior to retirement, was at University of Tennessee at Martin as Director of Business Services. He served for 20 years retiring in May, 1996. During this time, Drury also tried his hand at farming and raising cows. He spent many cold winter mornings feeding cows and breaking ice. His retirement career was as senior partner in Mountain Creek Farms near Florence MS. He also served 3 years as a Regent for Oxford Graduate School in Dayton, TN.

Drury earned a BS Degree from the University of Memphis and a Master’s Degree from the University of Tennessee Martin.

Drury married Jane Anne Taylor on August 25, 1955 in Memphis TN at Bellevue Baptist church. They spent the next 58 years raising two boys, with multiple Air Force moves, and then traveling the world together. They settled in Sharon TN after Drury’s Air Force retirement and finally to Collierville, TN. He is survived by his wife, two sons, Dr. Drury Browne Crawley IV, wife Anne Sprunt Crawley; and Lt. Col. Christopher Taylor Crawley, wife Jerilyn Willis Crawley; and four grandchildren Tristan Taylor Crawley, Trent Andrew Crawley, Rebecca Worth Crawley and Drury Alexander Crawley.

He served as a deacon of First Baptist Church, Martin TN. Drury was a member of Germantown Baptist Church and would want to be remembered first as a Christian, husband and father.

The family requests memorials to be made to University of Tennessee Martin or Germantown Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be March 28, 2014 at Germantown Baptist Church with visitation at 11:00 and services at 12:00. Dr. Walter Taylor and Dr. Tom Elkins will be officiating. Full military honors will be March 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm at Mountain Creek Cemetery in Florence, Mississippi.