Don Crawford, age 78, of Schaller, Iowa, died Thursday, April 10, 2008 at St. Luke Regional Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Funeral services for Mr. Crawford will be held on Monday, April 14, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller. Burial will be in the Schaller Cemetery with full military rites by the Schaller VFW Post 4704. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Schaller is in charge of the arrangements.

Friends may call on Sunday, April 13, 2008 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Schaller, where the family will be present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Donald Melvin Crawford was born June 29, 1929 in Battle Creek, Iowa, the son of Forrest and Anna (Hayward) Crawford. He was educated at a country school near Battle Creek, then in the Ida Grove schools before his family moved to Schaller. Don graduated from Schaller High School in 1946. Don joined the United States Army and served during the Korean Conflict. A lifelong patriot, Don was a member of the Schaller Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4706.

On June 12, 1955, Don was united in marriage to Margaret Pyle at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller. The couple was blessed with three children: Lynn, Ellen and Ann. Don owned and operated a farm implement dealership in Schaller for many years, until his retirement in 1992. He and Margaret would have been married for 53 years this coming June.

Don was actively involved in community affairs in Schaller. He served on the Schaller City Council, was a member of the Schaller Chamber of Commerce and served on the Schaller Volunteer Fire Department. He was also a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller.

Don loved being outside and invested a great deal of time in pursuits that let him spend time in the great outdoors. He enjoyed his annual deer hunt and was a collector of guns. Don also had a passion for classic cars and loved to polish up those he owned. He was a history buff who made a point to never stop learning; in his later years he was proud to master operating computers. Don also enjoyed camping and liked to take his family camping in the western United States. Whether on a camping trip or at home, spending time with his family and friends was always a priority and a joy for Don. A kind and gentle man, he will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Margaret, of Schaller; his daughters: Lynn Crawford of Fort Morgan, Colorado; Ellen and husband, Brian Buchholtz and Ann Crawford, all of Prescott, Arizona; his grandchildren: Nicholas and Matthew Buchholtz of Tempe, Arizona and Paige and Reid Price of Prescott, Arizona; his sister Joyce Olbertz of Storm Lake, Iowa; sister- and brother-in-law Jan and Tom Watson of Schaller; sister-in-law Cheri Haack of Schaller; many nieces and nephews and countless friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Floyd; and two sisters: Annabelle Irvin and Beth Eyler.