Dorothy June Crawford, 92, of rural Alliance, departed this world Tuesday, September 17, 2019.
Born on June 27, 1927 to Harry and Alice (Davidson) Frost of Overton, Nebraska, Dorothy was the proud big sister to Donald Ray and attended Overton area schools, graduating from Overton High School in 1945. She attended Nebraska State Teachers College at Kearney. After teaching in Kimball, Dorothy accepted a position in Alliance, teaching 4th, 5th, and 6th grades at Emerson, Central and Grandview elementary schools. Her students remember her fondly as a pretty and kind young teacher who made each of them feel special.
Dorothy met the love of her life, Raymond Eugene Crawford, in January 1955 on a blind date at a dinner party. They married June 3, 1956 and shared 61 happy years together before Ray’s death in October 2017. Dorothy and Ray had three children: Wayne (Mary) and Warren of Alliance, and Wanda of Bellevue, Kentucky.
Dorothy accepted Jesus Christ as her savior at the Overton Methodist Church, joining the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Alliance when she married Ray. In her lifelong devotion to her faith, for decades Dorothy taught adult Sunday school, sang alto in the church and community choirs, taught and helped with vacation Bible school and JAM after school program, gave lessons and held office in the denomination’s district meetings, participated in Christian Women’s Fellowship (CWF, baked and served cakes for the monthly birthday parties at Good Samaritan, served Meals on Wheels, and with Ray, shared communion with homebound members of their church and decorated graves of members who had passed on. Dorothy enjoyed the fellowship of the Gideons and Gideons Auxiliary.
Dorothy was also very active in community organizations. She was a 4-H mom, hosting livestock judgings on the Crawford ranch, leading music for her children’s 4-H club meetings, and helping at the Box Butte County Fair with 4-H entries and the 4-H food booth. Dorothy was a School District 22 mom, sewing costumes for plays, co-hosting parties, and substitute teaching. Dorothy was an election worker for Snake Creek/Wright precinct. When not serving her church and community, Dorothy was gardening, helping on the ranch, or reading.
After Dorothy and Ray retired, they were often seen in town at brown bag lunches and concerts at the library and at the Sunday country music jamborees and couples dances. They supported high school, humanities and arts council programs, and events at the Knight Museum. Dorothy made many friends in Ray’s World War II 43rd Bomb Group, attending reunions around the U.S. for nearly thirty years. A prolific writer of cards and letters, Dorothy maintained lifelong friendships around the state and country.
Dorothy lived on the Crawford ranch until three weeks ago, thanks to her son Warren, who was her caretaker the last several years.
Dorothy is survived by her children and thirteen nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Ray, her parents Harry and Alice, her parents-in-law Fred and Bonnie Crawford, her brother Donald, sisters- and brothers-in-law Verna and Marilyn Frost, Gene Crawford, Helen (Carl) Lewis, Lelan (Evelyn and Kathern) Crawford, Edith (Melvin Chris) Bartels, June (Bill) Powell, and two nephews.
Funeral services will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Alliance at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 21 with interment at the Alliance Cemetery. Pastor Tim Stadem will officiate. Visitation will be at the Bates-Gould Chapel from 1:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, September 20, with family present from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church, 901 Box Butte Ave., Alliance, Nebraska, 69301, Gideons International, P.O. 114, Alliance, Nebraska, 69301, or donor’s choice.