Myron M. Crawford

Myron M. Crawford, long time resident of Mineral Wells, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Thursday, March 31, 2016. Surrounded by his loving wife and family, he peacefully left his earthly body; as he had preached since surrendering to the ministry, in 1948.Visitation will be Sunday April 3, 2016 from 6-8pm. Funeral service will be Monday April 4, 2016 2pm at First Baptist Church in Mineral Wells.Young Myron's parents, Obie and Evie Crawford, moved to Mineral Wells, in 1913. Harsh times, would take the family to Memphis, TX, where Myron was born; November 28, 1924. The family returned in 1930, with Obie running a dairy business in Mineral Wells, until his untimely death in 1932. With three older children, Labelle, Evelyn, and Leonard, gone from home, the newly widowed Evie would face the "great depression" with 7-year old Myron and 9-year old L.D.The hardest of times were yet to come, as the young widow sought refuge with family members in Shelby County, TX. When the "great depression" began to ease, Evie would bring her two sons, back to Mineral Wells.Myron would graduate from Mineral Wells High School, in 1943, and join the Navy; serving proudly as a gunner's mate, aboard the USS Whippoorwill. He would sail throughout the Pacific; including Australia and New Guinea. At the end of the war, he returned to Mineral Wells.Shortly after the war, he would marry Lucille Elizabeth Naquin, and together they would have three sons. He surrendered to the ministry in 1948. He would move his young family to Price, Utah, and between 1952-1953 he would help build and pastor the first Southern Baptist Church in the city of Price. He later returned to Texas, where he attended the Southwestern Baptist Seminary, in Fort Worth.Over the next 20 years, he taught English, Speech, and Government, in Texas public schools. His most cherished years of teaching, would be spent as principal and superintendent, of Ira Independent School District.In 1976, he would return to his beloved Mineral Wells, where he would start a construction business with son's Melvin and Obie Crawford. In 1978, while pastoring Dobbs Valley Baptist Church, he married Jacqueline Gore Russell, his loving wife and companion of 38 years. During the following years they would minister together. He would later author books, serve as Mayor of Mineral Wells, and work and speak on 5 continents, He served as President of the District Teachers organization, Historical Society, and Chamber of Commerce. In 2001, he was elected to the high school Hall of Honor, and in 2002, he was chosen as Man of the Year, by the Mineral Wells Index. But as anyone who knew him would tell you, his greatestAccomplishment was being a father to his sons.He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jacqueline Russell Crawford, of Mineral Wells, four sons, Scott Russell, of Alvin, TX, Melvin & Wilma Crawford, of Mineral Wells, Aaron & Jeannine Crawford, of Gordon, and Obie & Jan Crawford of Mineral Wells; as well as 7 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. He was preceded in death by his first wife and one grandson.