IVALEE PEARL CRAWFORD (1/17/1922 – 2/14/2020)
Ivalee Pearl Crawford, 98, of Columbia, Missouri, formerly of Memphis, Missouri, passed away Friday, February 14, 2020, at home in Columbia, Missouri.
She was born January 17, 1922, the daughter of Elbert and Pearl Mae Winn Whittom, in their farm home south of Downing, Missouri.
Ivalee attended Grade School and High School, in Downing, Missouri, and graduating in the Class of 1939. Following graduation, she worked as a nanny for a family in Downing, Missouri until 1941 when she accompanied her sister, brother in law and nephew to Broadwick, California. While in Broadwick she also worked at Walgreens until she moved to Chicago, Illinois where she worked for the Zenith Electronics Manufacturing facility during World War II.
Ivalee married Sam Crawford on July 27, 1944 at the Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois.
In May of 1949, a few months after the birth of their son Samuel Keith, they moved to a farm near Memphis, Missouri where they worked and raised two children; Samuel Keith and Connie Lee. In 1960 the family moved to Memphis, Missouri where they lived for 46 years. Ivalee worked for 20 years as a cook for the Memphis High School. In 2006 she and her husband, Sam Crawford, moved to Columbia, Missouri where they lived with their daughter Connie Lee.
Ivalee was a member of the First Christian Church of Memphis, Missouri. She loved flowers and home decorating and enjoyed art and created many oil paintings. Ivalee and Connie Lee both collected antiques and they visited many yard sales together.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Sam Crawford; her daughter, Connie Lee Crawford; and a grandson, Rodney Keith Crawford. Also preceding her in death are her four brothers: Leland, Lester, Clarence, & Vernon, and one sister, Olive Estelene Forrester.
Ivalee is survived by her son, Samuel Keith Crawford of Columbia, Missouri; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Funeral Services will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 20, 2020, at the Memphis Funeral Home in Memphis, Missouri.
Visitation will be after 10:00 a.m. Thursday with the family receiving friends from 12:00 noon till service time at the funeral home.
Interment will be in the Memphis Cemetery in Memphis, Missouri.
Ron Henkenius will officiate, and music will be provided by Joe and Lori Fulk. Casket Bearers will be family and friends.
An expression of sympathy in memory of Ivalee Crawford may be left to Hospice Compassus or the Donor’s Choice. A memorial may be left at or mailed to the Memphis Funeral Home 378 S. Market Street, Memphis, Missouri 63555.
