Leader Publications

Ruth Crawley, 76
Born: May 26, 1936

Crawley

Died: Sept. 18, 2012

Ruth Elizabeth Crawley, 76, of Dowagiac, devoted daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, went home to be with the Lord on Sept. 18, 2012, in her residence in the presence of her loving family.

She was born May 26, 1936, in Calvin Township, the sixth child of Fred Jenkins and Lulu May (Bryant) Steele. On Sept. 6, 1953, she married Owen Cradolph.  On Nov. 9, 1973, she married Ralph I. Anderson. On Sept. 26, 1992, she married James Lee Crawley. He survives.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; two sisters, Doris B. Wilson and Gladys A. Weatherspoon; and two brothers, Paul Steele and Alvin Steele.
Ruthie, as she was affectionately called by many, retired on May 30, 1996, from the U.S. Postal Service as a rural mail carrier in Cassopolis. She was a member of the St. Mary’s Chapter 10 Order of the Eastern Star and Calvin 4-H Club senior leader. She was among the first class to graduate from Cass County Senior Citizen Police Academy. The donations of her time for the sick and shut-ins and the elderly were numerous. These worthy causes included the Crop Walk, the American Cancer Society Walk, Cassopolis Council on Aging Meals on Wheels Program, Regional Interagency Coordinating Council for Cass County and Cass County Medical Care Facility.

In 1987, she received the prestigious Michigan 150 First Lady Award from Mrs. Paula Blanchard, the wife of the governor of the State of Michigan. She was a member of Chain Lake Missionary Baptist Church in Cassopolis. She has served as the senior choir director, president of the Pastor’s Aide Committee, Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, usher and homecoming Committee.

One of her passions was cake decorating with her sister, Gladys. They worked together to make cakes for many weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. She taught her children, nieces and grandchildren to make cakes, too.

Ruth loved to travel. She traveled with her special friends Dora Strong and Adrian Glover and her sister, Gladys, to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. One of her most special trips was with her sister, Gladys, to Cape Town, South Africa. She made her dream excursion to Europe in 2007 with Adrian Glover and Dora Strong as her traveling buddies. She took a beautiful family trip with her sister, Gladys; brother, David; and sister, Joyce; David Jr. and Cheryl Steele; and nieces, Gail Clay and Cindy Haines, to Alaska.  She also took many trips with The Free Will Ladies from Three Rivers to Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Atlanta; and Savannah, Ga.; Pikes Peak in Denver; New Orleans; Washington, D.C.; Alexandria, Va.; Memphis, Tenn.; Philadelphia; St. Louis, Mo.; Mobile, Ala.; Pensacola, Jekyll Island and Beaufort, Fla.; South Burlington, Vt.; and Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, N.Y. She thoroughly enjoyed all of these trips.

Ruth will be greatly missed by family and friends. She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, James Crawley of Dowagiac; two daughters, Velvaleta (Harvey) Kernslong of Upper Marlborough, Md., Joanne Anderson of Cassopolis; her sons, Joseph Owen Cradolph of South Bend, Phillip (Patricia) Anderson of Grand Rapids, David (Anna) Anderson of Sterling, Ill., Dennis Anderson of Huntsville, Ala., Neal Anderson of Vandalia, the Rev. Michael (Michelle) Anderson of Cassopolis, and Peter (Hope) Anderson of Cassopolis; numerous grandchildren; a host of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; one brother, David (Joyce) Steele, of Dowagiac; one sister-in-law, Lola (Bob) Shaw, of South Bend; and many dearly loved nieces and nephews.

Family and friends will gather Friday, Sept. 21, from 4 until 8 p.m. with a Wake Service at 7 p.m. under the auspices of the Rev. Norman Tubbs at Connelly Chapel Wagner Family Funerals, 202 N. Broadway St., Cassopolis. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 11 a.m. at Chain Lake Missionary Baptist Church, 16853 Chain Lake St., Cassopolis, with her son, the Rev. Michael Anderson, officiating. Mrs. Crawley will be laid to rest in Chain Lake Cemetery, Calvin Township.

The family prefers memorial contributions to Hospice at Home, 4025 Health Park Lane, St. Joseph, MI 49085.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Wagner Family Funerals, Cassopolis.  Online condolences may be posted at wagnercares.com.