Obituary of Lillian Grace Crawford

Mrs. Lillian Grace Crawford was born in Portage Vale on May 7, 1930;  she was the daughter of the late Hanford and Gwendolyn (Hatfield) Gray and the wife of the late Harold Crawford who passed away in 1990.

As children, we were fortunate to have a “stay-at-home-mom”.  Mom was always there when we got home from school. There were always fresh cookies and homemade bread. She was always knitting mittens or socks for us, making quilts for our beds, or doing her embroidery work.

When we were growing up, mom was always helping out at the Sussex United Baptist Church.  She helped for two weeks every summer with Vacation Bible School and she played the piano for Mission Band every Sunday.  Mom was part of the Fidelity Group that helped with all the suppers and receptions at the church and she was involved in the choir for many years.  She was a generous woman who gave many hours of her time to the church and serving others.

After we had become adults, mom took care of Janet and Jennifer (Judy’s oldest children) and then Luke and Katie (children of neighbourhood friends).  She enjoyed playing crokinole, going for walks around the block, and then tightening up skates so the kids could skate on Murray’s pond next door to her house.

Mom was only 59 when dad passed away.  Mom took care of him when he needed help even though she was not a nurse.  For many years, she probably noticed things were different but never said anything.  She cared for dad at home without a lot of help until his last hospital stay.  She learned how to drive the car and got her driver’s license on the first try when he was ill.  Dad still had his license so she would get him into the car as the licensed driver and went off to practice driving.

After dad’s passing, she discovered Nancy’s Bus Tours and her love of travel.  Mom enjoyed going on the bus tours for many years.  She went on nearly every trip and saw most of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick and into the States.  She loved being out with her bus friends.  In addition to going on the bus, she once travelled with Aunt Eva to visit Uncle Merton and Joyce in BC. One year, she and Aunt Margaret travelled by themselves to California to see cousins and then to Alberta to visit Edwin and his family.  She was always up for the adventure!

When she moved into King’s Manor, she loved having people around after being on her own for several years.  She once told Judy she wasn’t getting anything done.  When asked what she meant, she said she didn’t know she would spend so much time in the lounge playing games, putting jigsaw puzzles together, and just visiting.  She was part of the committee at the Manor that helped in planning and leading meetings and organizing suppers. 

It is fitting her funeral is being held on Remembrance Day.  In our house, it was a very important day. For weeks leading up to the day, mom and dad would be busy at the legion selling poppies, getting wreaths ready, and planning the dinner.  We were all in the parade each year as children with the legion, cubs or brownies.  The legion held a public dinner after the service at the cenotaph.  We always had dinner there while mom and dad worked. It is the day we will always think of mom and dad with fond memories.

Lillian is survived her daughter, Judy Friars and her husband Milton of Apohaqui; her sons: Edwin Crawford and his wife Avis of Moncton and Michael Crawford and his wife Tina of Sussex; 10 grandchildren: Janet Wilson, Jennifer Friars, Jacqueline (Joel) Bean, Jason Crawford, Matthew (Laura) Crawford, Kathleen Crawford, Jessica Crawford, Jarrod (Christina) Crawford, Zachary Crawford and Courtney (Zach) Crawford; 13 great grandchildren: Alice, Cale, Reid, Jacob, William, Connor, Carter, Riley, Adrien, Paige, Hazen, Lylah and Raylan; as well as her sister-in-law: Erma Gray of Salisbury and Sylvia Pagett and her husband Ernest of Marhamville and her brother-in-law, Donald Crawford and his wife Anna of Mount Middleton. She was  predeceased by her husband, Harold Crawford  and by her brother, Donald Gray.

Mrs. Lillian Grace Crawford of Lower Millstream, passed away at the Sussex Health Center on November 7, 2017 at the age of 87.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the compassionate care of Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex, (506-433-1176) where visitation will be held on Friday from 1-3 and 6-8pm.  The Royal Canadian Legion Sussex Branch #20 will hold a tribute on Friday at 5:45 pm.

A service celebrating Lillian's life will be held from Sussex Baptist Church on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at  2:30 pm. 

If you are considering making a memorial donation the family has recommended the Alzheimer's Society or Donor's choice.

www.wallacefuneralhome.com