Crawford, Helen (Gibson)

Obituary: Helen Gretchen (Gibson) Crawford - Worley-Luginbuel Funeral Home, Grove, OK

APRIL 18, 1912 ~ JANUARY 21, 2007 (AGE 94)

Helen Gibson Crawford When Helen Gibson Crawford was born in Grove in April, 1912, little did she know that her life would become what is now termed a "power mom." She learned cooperation, independence, and her understanding of politics from her father, one of Grove's earliest 'boosters." From her mother, a quiet but passionate suffragette, she gained confidence to be a working woman. She also learned to stand up for herself by being the only girl in a family with four boys. At nineteen years of age, she went against her parents' wishes and married Charles Thomas Crawford, in 1931. They couldn't get a license in Oklahoma because Tom wasn't yet twenty-one, so they with the Presbyterian minister from Miami, drove across the state line and were married in Oswego, Kansas. The marriage lasted until Tom's death on Nov. 5, 1987. They had three daughters. The first did not survive its birth. Linda Ellen Crawford DuBois was born in 1939 and Suzanne Elizabeth Crawford Boles in 1941. When America entered WWII, Tom enlisted in the US Navy rather than be drafted, and was stationed on Mare Island near Vallejo, California in the San Francisco area. There he worked on diesel engines and was able to take his family with him to California. Actually, Helen drove her two daughters to California, accompanied by her uncle, John Foreman, and Harry Halterman's mother who had relatives in Oregon and. They made the 5-day trip in September of the early 1940s in 102 degree heat. Westward ho without air conditioning, bad tires and few interstates. She would call the experience of living in California at that time a nightmare, as they were called "Okies," or 'worse" despite the fact that Tom was serving his country. Housing was practically non-existent for families with children. Exasperated, Helen told one homeowner, "I have two daughters. I'm not going to toss them in the bay." When the couple returned to Grove, Tom resumed working as a mechanic and Helen busied herself caring for the girls, working in the business and doing voluntary community work. She always believed that you did the best you could do for you family and your community. So she accepted the job of City Clerk because it paid $15 per month, and dance lessons for her daughters in Miami costs $16. She continued to drive them to Miami for dance, piano, and vocal lessons for twelve years. She also managed and promoted "The Okies," a performing group of young girls from Grove High School who performed regionally and nationally for four years, 1955-1959. She drove the girls all over the four states at least twice a week for four year to perform for organizations and events. . She drove Grove's award winning students to vocal and choir contests during this time also. In the past ten years she has continued her work with children by tutoring private school students in civics and history, and volunteering with The Playmakers, especially those productions which included children. She also loved her time in recent years to be with her grandchildren and great grand-children. Although always forward-thinking, Helen believed also that you needed to know your past to know who you were. As part of the genealogy society in Grove, she learned to trace her family history. She was so pleased when she found her earliest American ancestor, Alexander James Faris (on her mother's side) who came to America in the 17th century. . She witnessed the growth of her hometown in both size and quality of living. She adapted to the many changes in technology. She was well-read and well-versed in American politics and history. She valued the arts greatly because of her love of beauty and "pretty things." She was pleased that her daughters and so many nieces, nephews, and grand children are involved in the arts, both visual and performing, and interested in the humanities. She is survived by one brother, Morris Gibson of Edmond and his wife, Marilyn; daughters, Linda DuBois and Suzanne Boles; grandsons, Bruce DuBois and wife LuAnn, and Rick DuBois and wife Gayle of Grove, and granddaughter, Ellen Meadows and husband John of St. Louis; four great grandchildren: Allison Meadows, Tyler DuBois, Tessa DuBois, and Riley DuBois; two first cousins, Elizabeth Bemis of Edmond, and James Smith of Edmond, and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and cousins. A public memorial service is planned for Saturday at 4:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Grove, 1005 Leisure Road. Worley-Luginbuel Funeral Home of Grove is handling arrangements. Notes to the family may be posted at www.honoringmemories.com. A memorial fund for Helen is being established for The Grove Community Playmakers to provide opportunities for arts education for the young. If friends prefer, in lieu of flowers, they may make contributions to: The Playmakers, PO Box 450236, Grove, OK. 74345

Service Details:  Saturday, January 27th, 2007 4:00pm

Interment Details:  Olympus Cemetery