- Date Of Birth: May 26, 1936
- Date Of Death: September 18, 2012
- State: Michigan
Ruth Elizabeth Crawley, 76, of Dowagiac, devoted daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend went home to be with the Lord on September 18, 2012, in her residence in the presence of her loving family. She was born May 26, 1936 in Calvin Township, Michigan, the sixth child of Fred Jenkins and Lulu May (Bryant) Steele. On September 6, 1953, she married Owen Cradolph.
On November 9, 1973, she married Ralph I. Anderson. On September 26, 1992, she married James Lee Crawley. He survives. She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; two sisters, Doris B. Wilson and Gladys A. Weatherspoon; and two brothers, Paul Steele and Alvin Steele. Ruthie, as she was affectionately called by many, retired on May 30, 1996 from the U.S. Postal Service as a Rural Mail Carrier in Cassopolis. She was a member of the St. Mary’s Chapter 10 Order of the Eastern Star and Calvin 4-H Club Senior Leader.
She was among the first class to graduate from Cass County Senior Citizen Police Academy. The donations of her time for the sick and shut-ins and the elderly were numerous. These worthy causes included the Crop Walk, the American Cancer Society Walk, Cassopolis Council on Aging Meals on Wheels Program, Regional Interagency Coordinating Council for Cass County and Cass County Medical Care Facility.In 1987 she received the prestigious Michigan 150 First Lady Award from Mrs. Paula Blanchard, the wife of the Governor of the State of Michigan. She was a member of Chain Lake Missionary Baptist Church in Cassopolis. She has served as the Senior Choir Director, President of the Pastor’s Aide Committee, Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, Usher and Homecoming Committee.
One of her passions was cake decorating with her sister Gladys. They worked together to make cakes for many weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. She taught her children, nieces and grandchildren to make cakes, too. Ruth loved to travel. She traveled with her special friends Dora Strong and Adrian Glover and her sister Gladys to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. One of her most special trips was with her sister Gladys to Cape Town, South Africa. She made her dream excursion to Europe in 2007 with Adrian Glover and Dora Strong as her traveling buddies.
She took a beautiful family trip with her sister Gladys, brother David and sister Joyce, David Jr. and Cheryl Steele and nieces Gail Clay and Cindy Haines to Alaska. She also took many trips with The Free Will Ladies from Three Rivers to Boston, Massachusetts; Charleston, South Carolina; Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Pikes Peak in Denver, Colorado; New Orleans, Louisiana; Washington, D. C.; Alexandria, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; St. Louis, Missouri; Mobile, Alabama; Pensacola, Jekyll Island and Beaufort, Florida; South Burlington, Vermont; and Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, New York. She thoroughly enjoyed all of these trips.Ruth will be greatly missed by family and friends.
She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, James Crawley of Dowagiac; two daughters, Velvaleta (Harvey) Kernslong of Upper Marlborough, Maryland, Joanne Anderson of Cassopolis; her sons, Joseph Owen Cradolph of South Bend, Indiana, Phillip (Patricia) Anderson of Grand Rapids, David (Anna) Anderson of Sterling, Illinois, Dennis Anderson of Huntsville, Alabama, Neal Anderson of Vandalia, the Reverend Michael (Michelle) Anderson of Cassopolis, and Peter (Hope) Anderson of Cassopolis; numerous grandchildren; a host of great grandchildren and great great grandchildren; one brother David (Joyce) Steele of Dowagiac; one sister in law Lola (Bob) Shaw of South Bend; and many dearly loved nieces and nephews.
