by Corinne Crawley - Your Loving Wife
What you are about to experience is the story of an amazing man. He was not only amazing, he took the time to share this amazingness with everyone. Every person, every story or memory his friends, family and acquaintances have shared with us is the same - he was a the most genuine guy you would ever want to meet. Honest through and through, faithful to himself and to others, caring, not afraid of taking on a problem and tackling it to a solution. Pat lived with the motto that "everything and everyone should be the best it can be." If it needed fixing he would find whatever tools available, because he was "Mr. Fix It".
At 3:02 pm on May 24, 1958, Patrick Dennis Crawley was born to Patsy Sue and Michael Edward Crawley (two wonderful people), in Orange, CA . It was unknown at that time that the world would now be a much better place. Patrick (AKA Pat) was a lucky guy, he was born in as the fifth child. First in line was Michael, who passed away when Patrick was just a teen; then came Daniel (Patrick called him Dan); Chrissy (Christine - but Patrick called her Kissy); and Kathleen (Kathy to Patrick). He had so many cousins, aunts and uncles, it was hard to keep count. David Crawley, not only a first cousin, but a lifelong friend. Dave held a very special place in Patrick's life. Two sets of grandparents topped the list, Pop, Nanny, Grandma, Grandpa helped to mold him. Some of his fondest memories included his grandparents.
Just a few nights ago, we went grocery shopping, came through the backyard and Pat stopped at the beautiful picnic table he made, sat down, turned to look at me and said "If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing." He added, "I am a happy man."
Patrick lived what he called a "charmed" life. He loved his childhood, whether in Garden Grove, Long Beach, Huntington or Seal Beach, or Eugene, Oregon, he lived his dream - fishing, the beach just outside his door, body surfing, riding his bicycle and later his many, many dirt bikes. He brought to life so many motorcycles and vehicles the list would be huge, but the one he wished he'd kept over the years was his 1959 Cadillac.
Once Patrick was asked, "Who is your hero?" He didn't hesitate to respond "That's easy, my brother Dan." Patrick's family was close, they came from the line of thinking that "family" was your core. Patrick's born family is close to this day. The example that Patsy (Pat's Mom) and Michael "Eddie" (Pat's Dad) set was extraordinary. The dinner table in Patrick's childhood home was not only to have meals together, it was an opportunity to share life together. This "table" was not only eaten at, it was used as a "round table" for a family meeting. Patrick learned early on not to let a problem fester, "Get the sliver out and move on."
There was not a person Patrick met that he did not touch. It used to be okay to touch people. Get deep into someone's soul. Physically touch them, even if driving down Pacific Coast Highway riding shotgun, reaching out the window and slapping a beautiful girl's ass. He never went to jail for that and never was sued. They just turned around and smiled or waved. Probably remembered it forever.
Teenage years impacted him greatly. He had great friends and so, so many memories. Living in Southern California he went to Disneyland a record number of times. Back in the day when it took an "E" ticket to ride the good rides. He wouldn't earn money the conventional way, no, him and cousin Dave would plan a scheme. Put on their coveralls, find the local wishing pond, and with their squeegees give that pond a good cleaning. Patrick, being the artist that he is, again with Dave, would buy one entry into Knott's Berry Farm, get a hand stamp, pull out his handy markers, and not only draw the stamp on the other's hand, but do the same for those standing in line. At half-price of course. If someone was hesitant they'd say "come on - I'll walk in with you." So many memories, and the greatest part is Pat shared them all the time, to the point others actually felt like they were there.
• Horney Corner
• Los Alamitos Bay
• The Pike
• Body Surfing
• Long Beach Blvd.
• Catalina
• Sea Scouts
• Living on the Beach
• Signal Hill
• Richard, Mike, Dave, Dave, Tom, Mustang Sally, Pinhead
• Marine Stadium
• Colorado Lagoon
• The Pike
• His Falcon
• His Harley Sprint
• Flint
• Ma & Pa's Market
• Garden Grove
• Seal Beach
• Crystal Cove
• The Queen Mary
• Sinking Richard's Dad's boat on Graduation night from Wilson High School
• The Roundabout
• Joe Josts
• Ports of Call
His childhood WAS a charmed life. Living the dream. Never having any rules but very clearly knowing his parameters.
Patrick's life easily falls into three chapters. Childhood, his marriage with Pam, and meeting and marrying Corinne and her small children. It was during this chapter of Patrick and Pam's marriage that his world significantly changed. The honor of being a father. The responsibility for this helpless infant, the pride of his soul, his blood line. Patrick was now a Dad. Gary was also his friend. Patrick shared his good looks and took the opportunity to share as much wisdom as he could cram into Gary's 36 years. It was his job to teach his son how to be a man. He did that.
As one chapter finished another began. Now a single father Pat was ready to rebuild his life. Through this turmoil he found his soul mate, his Corinne. With the help of Holly, Lisa, Cindy and Lisa of course (I am sure Holly will share this story), on October 17, 1992, Pat and Corinne met on their blind date. Planning to go to dinner and a movie, when I opened the door in my short jean skirt, pink blouse and pink shoes, he tilted his head to the side and said "Oh wow, you look like the kind of girl who would rather go dancing." From that moment forward I knew that "he got me." That night waiting for Pat to pull up to the house I was peeking out the front window. I saw him pull up in his 1963 Red Rambler, and I squatted down on the floor and said "Oh crap he drives an old car." Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would grow to love that car. We were soul-mates from the start. We quickly began to comingle our family. Was it easy, no, "but anything worth doing is worth doing right." With "Family" being our core value, we blended our family. Pat was now "Dad" to Gary and "Pat" to PJ, Dominic, and Katie, Pat or Patlee to me, or an occasional "Honey."
This chapter in Pat's life was busy, fulfilling, frustrating, and just plain old fun. Our extended family now grew. Grandma, Grandpa, aunts, cousins, in-laws, now became that role to all. We married on September 17, 1994, and almost made it to 25 years. Gary, now 11, PJ-9, Dominic-6, and Katie-4. When Pat asked my Dad's permission to marry me (yes he was that kind of guy), Pa Pa Pete said "Are you sure you want to do this?" Pat answered "Yeah, I have to do this." Our family can be described in one verb, "Action." If it needed doing we did it. We loved it and always, always ended with a story people may not believe. We vacationed, and yes, when Christmas Vacation came out in the movies we thought it may have been taken after us.
Our children brought many special people into our lives, Mike and Anthony. We describe our family tree as more like a "bush". There was a place for everyone, and everyone knew their role. They were welcome. The theory was that "no child can be hurt by being loved by more than one set of parents."
The influence Pat had on our kids resulted in four wonderful, capable, complete individuals. It doesn't even have to be mentioned but he was so proud of them. Pat's enriched life included one natural grandson, Austin and Madison on the way. He thought Austin was so cool. He used to say "Isn't he neat?" Granddaughter Violet, his buddy. "She is a special little girl - she can see right inside you" he'd say. Desi, Dylon and Michael had the pleasure to call him grandpa. Pat enjoyed watching them grow up. To Ashley and Emily, he was Pa Pa Pat, and to Addie he was Grandpa Binley. As Addie got older she said "Why does everyone call him Grandpa Binley?" We said "Well you named him that." Pat was a favorite to his now adult nieces and nephews and now their kids. He loved his family. We are quite a group. Pete, Sharon, Holly, Laurie, and all of their "everybodies."
"Dead is Dead" Pat told me, but now I say to him, "Dead may be Dead, but Dead is not forgotten." We are each a better person because of him, always striving to be and maintain being the best we can be. I know for me, he brought so much joy to my life. He used to look around and say "everyone else must be jealous of us." We'd sit in our modest home, in our free used hot tub, in our Ikea white spa robes - WE FELT RICH!. He said "It doesn't get much better than this." I agree, my life with Pat - "It doesn't get better than that."
We don't need to go into anymore details. You were all there, you were part of it. Although it is tragic, I know in my heart that it was the one time in Pat's life that he was unable to fix whatever was going wrong within his body. Because he couldn't fix it, he was at peace letting his higher power fix it for him.
I am sure Pat stopped to fix those "squeaky" pearly gates on the way to Heaven." Heaven is now a very lucky place, Pat's final piece of advice to all would be
"You know what to do, just do it."
Peace be with you my love and "Tomorrow will be another day".
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