Obituary of Richard Rayburn Crawford

Ray died peacefully at home with his wife and children by his side on October 17, 2015 after living with prostate cancer for more than 12 years. He was born in Hurst, GA on February 26, 1940 to Katie Lou (Butts) and James Guy Crawford. His parents; older brother, James Randall; and nephew, Eddie preceded him in death. He leaves his adoring wife of 46 years, Jana (Franklin); son, Scott (Courtney Stacks); daughter, Emily (Chad Cygan); sweet granddaughter, Daphne Isabel, and her soon-to-be-born little sister. He also leaves sisters-in-law, Carmen Crawford and Marsha Fisher; brother-in-law, Bob Fisher; nieces and nephews, Guy, Wade, and Shannon Fisher, Kelly Gutowski, Karen and Steve Crawford, Deanna Hamilton, and their families. In addition, he leaves the extended family of Joan, Phil, Bill, and Bob Brower and Linda Luce, his aunt Nola Woody, and so many friends who have blessed his life. Ray lived his life in Stow and Akron, where he graduated from Hower High School in 1958. He loved sports and played basketball, baseball, and football at Hower, and as quarterback led his team to the City Finals Championship Game in 1957. He also received his senior class Manhood Award and was President of Student Council. He attended The College of Wooster on a football scholarship, graduating in 1962 with a B.A. in Education. Though several professional football teams invited him to tryouts, he chose to begin his teaching career in Akron. He later attended the University of Akron and graduated in 1971 with an M.A. in Biology while concurrently working toward a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology at Kent State University. It was there that he met and wooed Jana, whom he married on August 9, 1969. Ray taught many subjects in the Akron Public School system, including Biology, Advanced Placement Biology, and Man and Disease, a course he designed. His career spanned several schools including Innes and Roswell Kent junior high schools and Kenmore High School. He also taught at Kent State University and concluded his 40-year teaching career by tutoring at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. His coaching resume included wrestling and Akron’s first and only junior high football team (Innes) where he coached Gary Pinkel, current head coach for the University of Missouri’s football team. At Kenmore, Ray coached golf for 15 years, leading the 2002 team to win the City Series Championship. He was named Coach of the Year in both 1996 and 2002, and was Kenmore’s Teacher of the Year in 2002. Ray was a member of the United Methodist Church in Stow and the Stow-Munroe Falls Lions Club. He also was an avid golfer, played slow-pitch softball, was an Ohio State and College of Wooster sports fan, and self-taught handyman. Friends and family will remember Ray’s strong and gentle personality, his quick smile and warm hugs, his fun-loving sense of humor, his special connection with children, and his selfless devotion to those he loved. He was a gift to so many. We miss him so much. Friends are invited to Redmon Funeral Home in Stow on Wednesday, October 21 for visitation from 2:00-4:00 pm and 6:00-8:00 pm. Funeral service will be held at the United Methodist Church in Stow on Thursday at 11:00 am, where friends may call from 10 am until service time. Burial will follow at Silver Springs Cemetery in Stow. If preferred, memorials may be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation in Ray’s name, http://www.pcf.org/RayCrawford.