Donald Ray Crawford

Donald Ray Crawford, 86, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 26, 2015 at a Meridian Care Center.

Don was born at Pomona, California on December 26, 1928, the youngest son of William and Velma J. Ohmart Crawford. He was raised and educated in Pomona with his siblings, Marjorie Kuskey Loy and Rollin F. Crawford.

He accepted the Lord as his savior at a Billy Graham Crusade in 1950. A lifelong Christian, his faith was important and was faithful to his church.

He joined the Navy on January 10, 1946 just days after turning 19. Proud to serve his Country, he was a fireman on destroyers and mine sweepers in the Pacific. Later he played the position of lineman for the Navy Despac Destroyers Football team, his number was 47. After he was Honorably Discharged from the Navy he attended Mt. San Antonio College.

A handsome catch, he married Dona LoDean Hunt on February 23, 1951 in Pomona, where they made their home until moving to Nampa, Idaho to be close to their daughters.

Don was a Reserve Officer for the Claremont Police Department, he was a fireman and pulled green chain at Redding, and he worked at General Dynamics and Automated Injection Molding in Pomona. He retired from Gate City Steel in Nampa.

In 1973 Don and Dona rafted down the Colorado River, thorough the Grand Canyon for 17 days with friends from church. Lifelong friends, they had yearly reunions at Vince’s Spaghetti in Ontario, the last few having to miss. They took many adventurous trips together, traveling to Netherlands, Israel, Alaska, and Europe.

He had many hobbies, collecting belt buckles and building life size wooden sleighs and reindeers. He even made stainless steel cookie pans and paper weights.

Don was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish. He made many trips to Buell Fuller’s ranch in Coalmont, Colorado to hunt for deer with Don Roenicke. These two hunted for Dall sheep at Santa Cruz Island and Javalina pigs in Arizona. When hunting at Frasier Mountain they always stopped at Schott’s Bakery in Bishop, California for “Sheepherders” bread.

He made several trips to Oregon to fish the Rogue River for Salmon with his nephew, Hugh Crawford and always looked forward to hunting the hills of Idaho with his friends and grandsons, Steve Kren, Ty and T’Jay Nichols.

He made friends with everyone he met, and time spent with friends and family was very important, he never missed one. The dash between 1928 and 2015 was well lived.

Don is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dona and daughters, Rhonda (Stephen) Kren, Darla (Bob) Nichols of Nampa; 5 Grandchildren, Jodi (Joe) Huff, Steve (Kalah) Kren, Janell (Travis) Hosdson, Ty (Carrie) Nichols and T’Jay (Holly) Nichols; 10 Great-Grandchildren, Henry and Claire Huff, Jack, Halle and Sophie Kren, Roy Hosdson, Ella Nichols, Remi, River and Kate Nichols; Nephews, Hugh Crawford, Tim Kuskey and Niece, Barbara Kieffer.

Services will be held on Monday, October 5, 2015. Graveside services will be at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery at 11 am with a Celebration memorial service held in Nampa at Christian Faith Center 31 Midland Blvd. at 12:30 pm. Services are under the direction of the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel. An online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com

Don loved providing the opportunity for boys and girls to attend church camp. Contributions can be made to the Children’s Ministries at Christian Faith Center.

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