Mr. E-Ray Crawford

Estil Ray (E-Ray) Crawford passed away at his home on March 1, 2024. Born in Barbourville, Kentucky on September 10,1946, E-Ray grew up outside of Detroit Michigan. There he began his career as an assemblyman working for Darling Freight but retired as a car hauler for Ryder Transport. He and his wife Lisa moved to Grant, AL in 1985. When he retired from Ryder Transport in 2001, he began some new adventures working with Window World and later retiring (officially) from GRA located on Redstone Arsenal. E-Ray was quiet and soft-spoken but very quick-witted. When he DID speak, people usually listened – and then talked over him because he was a notoriously long pauser. His silence intimidated many a teenage boy coming around to date his daughters. He was the epitome of a tough guy, but that never stopped him from crying over almost any movie. In his spare time, E-Ray loved attending church, woodworking, fishing, singing, and playing guitar. When he sang, people said he sounded a lot like Vern Gosden. He was lovingly known as a “jack of all trades;” there was not much he could not create or fix. His parenting fell under that category as well. He and Lisa opened their hearts and homes to many people, having been parents, foster parents, godparents, adoptive parents, and grandparents. He was a wonderful husband, father, and Pap. E-Ray is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lisa; siblings, Don Crawford and Corrine Smith; children, James, David (Nicole), Lisa (Greg), Lonnie (Josh), Gloria, Thomas (Sarah), Austin, Jesus (Sydney), and Sadie (Nathaniel); God-children, Allison Paris (Jonny), Brandy Watson (Adam), Megan Davis (Bryant), Harley Hodges, Thomas Blackburn, and Jimmy Blackburn; grandchildren, Katie, Jason, Jessie, Abby, Emma, Elliana, Colter, Ansley, Daniel, Shelby, Ella, Raelyn, and Emoree; great-grandchildren, Issac, Audrey, Brooke, Remington, Logan, and Laurelei E-Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Carie and Clarence Crawford, siblings: Ramona, Roberta, Walt, Tommy, and Maurice and grandson, Nick. Visitation will be held at Grant Memorial Chapel on Monday, March 4, 2024 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. with Pastor Phillip Cody officiating. Burial will be in Free Home Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Thomas Crawford, Austin Crawford, Jesus Crawford, Larry Walker, Kevin Roberson, and Adam Watson. Tommy Blackburn and Jimmy Blackburn will be honorary pallbearers. Arrangements Entrusted to Grant Memorial Chapel

Mr. E-Ray Crawford

September 10, 1946 - March 1, 2024