DAVID GEORGE CRAFORD 1923 - 2024
CRAFORD, TERRY, MARLEY
Posted By: Connie J Swearingen (email)
Date: 8/31/2024 at 21:11:47
Onawa Democrat
19 June 2024DAVID GEORGE CRAFORD
April 3, 1923 ˜ February 26, 2024David George Craford died peacefully in his sleep Feb. 26, 2024, at 100, in Portland, OR.
He was born April 3, 1923, in Onawa, IA, the youngest of six children of Kent and Ruth (Terry) Craford. He grew up on the Onawa farm homesteaded by his grandfather in 1871.
Dave attended Onawa grade school and graduated from Onawa High School in 1941, where he was basketball team captain. As the youngest male in his family, a farm deferment kept him out of the draft until he felt, as he put it, “I had to go,” and enlisted in April 1944.
Dave served in the 28th Infantry Division in France and Germany. He was selected for his rich baritone to call cadence as the 28th marched down the Champs-Élysées to mark the liberation of Paris.
After being honorably discharged in 1946, Dave attended South Dakota State University on the GI Bill and graduated in 1950 with a degree in animal husbandry.
On leave before heading overseas in 1944, Dave had accompanied his father on a business trip to Sioux City, where he met Agnes Marley, a former employee of his dad, who was then a nursing student. Kent Craford was playing matchmaker, and it worked: That fateful lunch launched a union that would last 71 years.
Dave and Agnes married Aug. 5, 1950, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Blencoe, IA, lived in Sioux City briefly, then returned to the Craford farm near Onawa.
Along with his family, Dave managed 640 acres of corn and soybeans and a small herd of beef and dairy cattle. Dave and Agnes also began raising their own herd during this time. By 1957, they had welcomed two sons and two daughters.
In 1958, Agnes and Dave left the farm behind to follow Dave’s brother Sid and sister June to Vancouver, WA, where Dave and Sid partnered selling insurance, eventually becoming Craford & Craford, Ltd, an insurance brokerage.
By 1962, the family had grown to include five kids, who kept Dave and Agnes busy with activities at St. Joseph’s parish, Jesuit High School, and St. Mary’s Academy.
After moving to Portland in 1978, Dave and Agnes joined St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish. Dave was a devout Catholic. Before marrying Agnes, he had converted to Catholicism, and his faith always remained central to his life.
But foremost in his life was his family. Dave was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. His and Agnes’ greatest joy came from spending time with their family, both near and far.
Most of their travels were visits to children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters. They rarely missed a niece or nephew’s wedding and were always involved in their grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s activities.
Though Dave remained a Midwesterner at heart, he loved Portland and the Pacific Northwest in general and all it had to offer: the beach, the mountains, and the natural beauty. His farm roots translated into a love of gardening, and as a result, Dave and Agnes’ yard was a showcase of the native splendor of the region. An outdoor and sports enthusiast, Dave enjoyed golf and became one of a weekly foursome. Both Dave and Agnes were avid walkers, even into their later years. Forest Park, the Willamette waterfront, or just a walk downtown were frequent and favorite routes, often ending at the Heathman Hotel or Jake’s Grill. It didn’t matter where they were, though, as long as they were together.
Gracious, principled, and kind, Dave will be remembered for his open heart, ready smile, and great sense of humor.
Dave was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Agnes Marley Craford; parents, Kent and Ruth; brothers, Jim and Sid; and an infant brother; and sisters, Marie Craford Marks and June Craford Seacat. He is survived by children, Mike (Ardeth) Craford, Roch (Karyn) Craford, Mary Margaret Craford (Patrick Murphy), Barbara (Tom) Manning, and Rebecca (Kevin) McAuliffe; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; his extended family; and many dear friends who felt like family.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, March 15, 2024, at 10 a.m. at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 4112 SW 6th Ave., Drive, Portland, OR. Private burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Lake Oswego, OR.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the University of Portland School of Nursing Scholarship in David and Agnes Craford’s memory at giving.up.edu/craford.
A special thank you to Dave’s caregivers, who went above and beyond in helping to keep him healthy and happy in his final years, Rosanna Navarro, Raymunda Monah Thornton, Marina Pavilitz, Daphne Cisneros, and Fernanda Hernandez Navarro.
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