- Date Of Birth: May 27, 1923
- Date Of Death: April 3, 2015
- State: Illinois
William “Bill” Crawford, 91, of rural Marseilles, died on April 3, 2015 at Pleasant View in Ottawa, with his wife Helen, of 63years, at his side.
Bill was born in Ottawa on May 27, 1923, the second child of Ernest and Marie (Slewder) Crawford. He grew up in Rutland Township, in a house built by his great-grandfather Cyrus Shaver, an early settler in the area. Bill attended the Milliken School, later he graduated from Seneca High School. Growing up on a farm, Bill became interested in tractors, and even bigger machinery from which he established his own excavating business in the early 50’s until the last few years. He was an active member of the Tractor Club and the Caterpillar Club. He married the former Helen Fennessey of 1621 Post Street, Ottawa on August 19, 1951. They have one daughter, Melissa, who lives in Ireland. Mr. Crawford was an avid flyer. He assembled a 1940’s Stearman biplane in the family garage. He did stunt flying amusing or terrifying those on the ground. He is fabled to have flown under the Marseilles River Bridge! Bill was a husband, father, devoted Marilyn Monroe fan, friend to the neighborhood kids, talented mechanic, cigar smoking, and loveable rogue. Mr. Crawford will be sadly missed by his wife Helen, daughter Melissa, cats Baby and Charley and the wild ones, the Waite-Foster family and all Bill’s countless friends.
He is survived by a sister Marcia Nelson and a niece and nephew, Jill and Eric. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother George Crawford, and a sister Jane Crawford. Honorary pallbearers will be Floyd, Robert, and Louie Dierzen, Bruce, Randy, Gene, and Brett Waite, Joe and Andrew Elzer, Robert Swint, and Guylene Strang.
