Colonel Kenneth C. (Ken) Crawford Obituary (1918

Colonel Kenneth C. (Ken) Crawford was born in Nokomis, IL on October 31, 1918. He was the Eldest son of Charles and Blanche Dora (Gates) Crawford. Following graduation from High school in 1936 where he was selected as best all-around male student in his class, he was employed in the local coal mine in Taylorville, IL. Within six Months he was promoted to a supervisory position. He entered Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL in September 1938. Following his junior year in 1941 he was drafted into the U.S. Army. The following December, he entered the Field Artillery Officerâ€™s Candidate School at Fort Still, OK. Ken Graduated the following March. He then served in the 85th and the 103rd Infantry Divisions. In 1943, he was assigned as a staff officer to the Louisiana Maneuver area. He was selected for transfer to the newly formed Ninth Army in late 1943. His organization was soon sent to Bristol, England. In June 1944, he entered France via Utah Beach. He was greeted by Brig. Gen. Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. who was beach master of that area. Ken saw combat duty almost every day for the next year. He was in Europe until shortly after the German surrender and later, on leave with his family when the war ended in August 1945. He married his college sweetheart, Madge Marie Douglas, on August 23, 1942. He enrolled in Southern Illinois University and completed the courses required to obtain his bachelorâ€™s degree from Illinois College. In June 1946 he enrolled in Washington University Law School in St. Louis. In August he was offered a regular commission in the Army. He accepted and reported for duty at Ft. Lewis, WA. Shortly thereafter he was sent to the Philippines, and six months to Sendai, Japan where Madge joined him. James Douglas was born on June 6, 1948. Kens next station was the University of Virginia Law School. There, Robert F. Kennedy was a classmate and close friend. Ken graduated, with honors, in May 1951. He transferred to the Judge Advocate Generalâ€™s Corps. Thereafter, he served at Fort Meade, MD, in Germany, Fort Leavenworth, KS, Fort Benning, GA, Carlisle Barracks, PA, South Korea and Fort McPherson, GA. His last active duty assignment was the Commandment of the Judge Advocate Generalâ€™s School in Charlottesville, VA. Ken retired from the Army on May 31, 90; his last official action was to commission, Son Jim upon his graduation from the Citadel, Charleston, SC, on May 31, 1970. Subsequently, Ken became Associate Director of Education, Southwestern Legal Foundation at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. A year later he was selected by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Warren Berger to be the first Director of Education and training of the newly formed Federal Judicial Center. He retired from his position in May 1987. He engaged in the practice of law for several years, and lectured for the Asia Foundation for throughout the Far East. Between 1984 and 1986, he spnt several weeks lecturing the Israeli judges. On October 21, 1984 he addressed the Israeli Supreme Court. Along the way he earned a Masters Degree from George Washington University in International Law affairs. Ken and Madge moved to AFVII in 1992. Madge died on June 17, 2003. Col Crawford was Survived by his Son James D. (Nan) Crawford; Granddaughters: Chrysti (Jim ) Miller; Joanna (Gteve) Garner; Great-Granddaughters: Madeline and Emma Miller and Kennedy Garner. Memorial services will be held Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 2:00pm at Sutton Memorial Home in Taylorville with Rev. Becky Lembke officiating assisted by Judge Richard H. Mills. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery in Taylorville with military graveside rites. Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 5, 2012 from 1:00-2:00pm at Sutton Memorial Home in Taylorville. Arrangements by Sutton Memorial Home in Taylorville.