Willie Jewel Crawford

TUSCALOOSA | Willie Jewel Crawford, age 89, of Tuscaloosa, died September 27, 2014, at home. Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 30, 2014, at Heritage Chapel Funeral Home with Dr. Herb Thomas and Pastor Larry Corder officiating. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Heritage Chapel Funeral Home & Cremations, a Dignity Memorial Provider, directing. Visitation will be Tuesday one hour prior to services at the funeral home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leslie C. Crawford, Jr.; mother, Amy Jewel Cooper; father, Willie Dee Cooper; and brothers, Sherman Cooper, Charles Cooper and James Cooper.

Survivors include her daughters, Teresa Crawford Sikes (John) and Vicki Crawford Hallmark (Doug); son, Richard Dennis Crawford (Candy); sister, Mary Ellen Falls; and grandchildren, Deidra Lynn Sikes, Ashley Dawn Moore, Hayden Crawford, Trent Hallmark, and Leslie Kendrick; and seven great-grandchildren.

Jewel was employed by the Northport Water Dept. and retired after 25 years of service. During her senior year of high school, she worked at Gulf States Paper Mill Corp. in the bag department. She managed to graduate from Holt High School and attended classes to complete a secretarial degree. She worked at Gulf Sates Paper from 3-11 each day to help with family finances.

Jewel was a loving caring mother, grandmother, and great- grandmother. Her children and grandchildren were the loves of her life. She was very devoted to her baby sister Mary Ellen Falls and had always been a caring big sister for her brothers: Sherman, Charles, and James.

Jewel was a member of Circlewood Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa. She loved her church family and really enjoyed her Rebecca Sunday School Class. In earlier years she worked with vacation bible school by helping in the kitchen. She always loved working with children of all ages. Her grandchildren and great- grandchildren always knew how much she loved them. She was interested in every aspect of their lives. Holt High School and the Holt Community were very close to her heart. She was always talking about the high school and the community and was so excited that Holt was going to get a new high school.

Jewel was a big fan of the University of Alabama. After her husband Leslie went home to Jesus she became very interested in gymnastics and attended the meets with her sister and sisters-in-law. She was an avid reader and kept up with her neighbors and community. She was cherished by all and will be greatly missed.

Pallbearers will be Hayden Crawford, Taylor Cain, Trent Hallmark, Seth Kendrick, AL Crawford, Ed Cooper and Larry Cooper.

Honorary pallbearers are neighbors of Ridgemont Subdivision, AlaCare, Hospice of West Alabama, Sherry Pearlie and Carolyn, precious caretakers of last weeks, Rebecca Sunday School Class and Gene Falls.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Circlewood Baptist Church Building Fund.

Condolences may be offered at www.heritagechapeltuscaloosa.com