Donald Crawford

Donald Crawford, 95, surrounded by his family and caregivers, died from prostate cancer on January 14, 2010, at Bickford Cottage in Marshalltown. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 19, at St. Marys Catholic Church in Marshalltown with Fr. Jim Miller officiating. Friends may call at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home from 5-7:00 p.m. on Monday with a 7:00 p.m. vigil service. Condolences may be made at www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Don and his family. Ph 641-844-1234. Final services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 20, at Westovers Funeral Home in Des Moines. Visitation will be held one-hour prior to the services. He will be laid to rest in the Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. The Westover Funeral Home is caring for the arrangements in Des Moines. Ph 515-276-4567. Don was born on December 26th, 1914 in Cascade, Iowa. He graduated from East Cascade High School in the 1933 class of seven students. He was an outstanding athlete in baseball and basketball. After graduation, Don played for the Cascade Reds baseball team. In 1935 they reached the finals of the Iowa State Amateur Baseball Tournament where they faced a Des Moines Farmers Union team led by a 16 year old pitcher named Bob Feller. Don also played on a NE Iowa All Star team involved in the 1933 homecoming game for Cascade native and future Hall of Fame pitcher Red Faber. Don later attended University of Iowa and was a lifelong Hawkeye fan. His family moved to Des Moines in 1936 where he continued playing baseball for the Kingsbury Brewery team. The Des Moines Register named him as third baseman on the 1937 All City Team. That year Don again played against the future major league Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller. Don can also say that he was alive the last time his Cubs were in the World Series. Don worked briefly with the Iowa Liquor Commission. Then in 1940, he began a 37 year career with the Internal Revenue Service. He was the last surviving founding member of the Des Moines branch of the Federal Employees Credit Union. Don married Mary Elaine Lynn on June 2, 1955, in Des Moines. After her death in 1977, he remained a treasured member of the Lynn family. On March 5th, 1984, he was married to Anna Louise Callahan. She too preceded him in death. After retirement, Don traveled many places: the 1982 Rose Bowl; 1985 World Series; Hawaii; Alaska; Western Europe; South America; Panama Canal; Caribbean and London. Surviving Don are his son Paul and daughter-in-law Sue and granddaughters Lainey and Libby Crawford all of Marshalltown. Preceding Don in death were his parents Clarence and Rose; wives Elaine and Anna and son Brian. The Crawford family is deeply appreciative of his dear friend, Irene Hoskey; the entire staff at Bickford Cottage; Karla Newton, R.N. and everyone at Iowa River Hospice; and Dr. Ken Lyons. Your love and care enabled Don to have an extended, active and enjoyable life. Memorials may be directed to the Iowa River Hospice, P.O. Box #1086, Marshalltown, Iowa, 50158-1086.