Ann Crawford

Ann Crawford (94), of Portland, OR passed away at home April 16, 2023 from natural causes. Her family
members surrounded her with love, comfort, shared stories and goodbyes on a beautiful day during her passing.
As daughter Debbie would say, family packed in, much like a tiny clown car over capacity.

Ann is survived by her four children, Steve Crawford (wife Lorna), Lisa Crawford Dubuque, Phil Crawford (wife
Suzie), and Debbie Crawford (wife Mysti); her granddaughters Ann Maree Walker (husband Jason), Alicia Loos
(husband James), and grandson Aaron Dubuque; and great grandchildren Greta Walker, Soren Loos, and Annie
James Loos, and Tyler Dubuque. She has numerous nieces and nephews.

She was born March 5, 1929 to Merrill and Isabell Harris, a farming family, in Yorkville, IL whose ancestor had
received an IL land grant as a soldier from the War of 1812. She was second youngest of five with two brothers
and two sisters. She always mentioned that her family had a good life during The Depression and WWII. Ann
went to Knox College for her undergraduate degree and teaching certification. She met her husband, Lowell
Crawford, in Normal, IL and they subsequently married in Sacramento, CA after Lowell graduated from USAF
Navigator Training. They moved through several USAF assignments in Maine, Texas, Oklahoma, The Philippines,
Oregon, Arizona, and Alaska. Ann moved back to Portland with her four children after her divorce from Lowell.
She then completed a Masters’ Degree program at Portland State University, while also working full time. An
amazing achievement considering raising her four children on her own.

She taught school primarily at David Douglas and Centennial High Schools as a substitute teacher, teaching into
her 70’s. Her favorite class was subbing for PE teachers during weight lifting events (joking/but she did actually
cover that activity). She always got a thrill when she would see a former student somewhere who told her how
much they liked her classes. She often worked 2-3 jobs at a time and ended retiring with Wells Fargo Bank, in
which she worked part-time and full- time for 30 years. She had great rapport and empathy with teenagers and
most other folks. She never met a stranger and could talk to anyone about anything. Ann enjoyed many travel
excursions throughout the US and Europe. One of these trips included a 15 mile (slight exaggeration) “forced
march” (in Doc Martin boots) to see Cirque Du Soleil in Amsterdam with her granddaughter Ann Maree (who
misjudged the distance to the venue). Along with a standing room visit to the Vienna Boys Choir and the Vienna
Opera House for one of Wagner’s longest operas Persifal (ouch, our feet hurt just thinking about it).

Ann was an avid sports follower and loved golf, baseball (Go Cubs!!!), basketball (Go Blazers!!!), football (Go
Bears!!!) and soccer (Go Timbers!!!) from circa 1970’s to the modern version. She played a good game of golf
and continued playing into her 80’s with a Glendoveer Golf Course ladies group. She typically watched two tv
sports events at a time with the radio going, and a book or crossword puzzle in her hands (daughter Debbie
inherited this talent although not to the level of her mastery). Her favorite expressions when watching the
Blazers were, “Get that rebound” and “make your damn free throws”. She was absolutely ecstatic when the
Cubs won the 2016 World Series after the famous 108 year drought. Son Steve described her as the ultimate
underdog rooter (you had to be if you’re a Cub fan).

Ann was also an animal lover and dog whisperer. She had a pet squirrel (Skinky) when young and her dog Sandy
always met her at the school bus stop. She had three German Shepherds and loved all the extended family’s
other pets as her own. In fact, her son’s wife Lorna had a dog named Sebastian (Seebe) who would trot over to
her apartment nearly every day for a visit, crossing the four-lane SE Division St. at 174th Ave. How he survived
was a wonder but it must have been worth the ride home.

Always active in her church, Savage Memorial Presbyterian Church in SE Portland, she attended many
outings/trips with their groups. Her passion was story telling and examining her family ancestry back to Revolutionary War times (her granddaughter Alicia has caught the ancestry bug and will continue Ann’s efforts).

Her memorial will be Sat July 8, 2023 at 11:00AM at Savage Memorial with reception to follow. Location: 1740
SE 139th Ave, Portland, OR 97233. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to any local Humane Society, Heifer
International, or Savage Memorial Presbyterian Church. Her family would like to acknowledge Mary Nganga and
the Staff at Wind Spring Adult Care Home for their kind and compassionate care of Ann during her final days.
Additionally, the family wants to recognize the Providence Elder Place Staff and the team at Laurelhurst for their
exceptional care.