Crawford Irwin Henry III

Crawford Henry, beloved husband, father, coach, mentor, and friend, passed away on May 18, 2026. A native of Atlanta, Crawford was born on May 30, 1937, and he dedicated his life to his strong Catholic faith, his family, and his love of the game of tennis.

Crawford married the love of his life, Marie “Bebe” Therrell Henry, in 1963, and they shared a long and loving marriage until her death in 2004. Crawford and Bebe built a life centered on family, friends, their shared Catholic faith, and their unwavering support for one another.

Crawford was best known for his accomplishments in the tennis world, and his prowess in the sport was apparent early. He was a standout as a Georgia high school player, playing for legendary Coach Erk Russell and achieving the remarkable feat of winning the state high school championship as a freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. He never lost a single high school tennis match, and in 1955 he captured the National High School Championship. Crawford then attended Tulane University, where he was chosen as a two-time first-team All American in 1959 and 1960. He helped lead Tulane to win the NCAA Team Championship in 1959 after having led Tulane to the NCAA finals in 1957. Crawford and doubles partner Ron Holmberg won the NCAA doubles championships in both 1957 and 1959.

After a standout collegiate performance, Crawford’s professional tennis accomplishments continued in the 1960’s. He competed twice at Wimbledon, advancing as far as the quarterfinal round, and he attained a U.S. singles ranking of no. 10, a U.S. doubles ranking of no. 4, and a world ranking of no. 18.

Beyond his personal accomplishments on the court, Crawford’s impact on the tennis community extended far beyond wins and titles. He excelled as a tennis coach and as a mentor to generations of aspiring athletes. Crawford’s collegiate coaching career included head tennis coach positions at Ogelthorpe College, Emory University, Tulane University, and finally at North Carolina State University, where he coached for thirteen years before retiring. Crawford also served as the first head tennis professional at Dekalb Tennis Center (1968-1978), where he helped launch the tennis careers of many future tennis professionals, including NCAA champion Allen Miller. In recognition of his tennis accomplishments, Crawford was inducted into Tulane’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983, the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983, and the ITA Collegiate Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000.

Above everything else, Crawford cherished his family. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Bebe and by his parents, Carroll “Dee” and Isabell “Belle” Buzzett. He is survived by his four children, Catherine Hicks (Brian) of Gainesville, Georgia, Laura Henry of Atlanta, Molly Hall (Kevin) of Clayton, North Carolina, and Chris Henry of Dunwoody, Georgia. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Jackson Hicks, Parker Hicks, Connor Swinarski, and Gannon Guin, four great-grandchildren, his loving sister and only sibling, Angela Shiflet (George)”Buck” of Greenville, South Carolina.

The family would also like to express their deepest gratitude to Crawford’s devoted nurse and caregiver of three years, Akeena Talley, whose compassion, care, and friendship brought comfort and dignity to Crawford during his final years.

Crawford will be remembered not only for his many tennis accomplishments, but also for his charisma, his wit, his tireless investment in developing the players he coached, and for his inspiration to so many both on the court and off.