Luther Lorashus Crawford

Obituary LUTHER L. CRAWFORD To say that Luther Lorashus Crawford was a big man was to never have laid eyes on him. But to deny that he was a great man is to not have known him very well. His father, Doyle would tell you of his industry in the Louisiana cotton fields when he was a boy. His close cousin, Reginald would tell you of his generosity with the few belongings he possessed while growing up poor. His family would tell you of his love for sports and pitching baseball in particular. His children would tell you of his exploits at the river’s edge, and the catfish they often enjoyed that evening. His church quartet would tell you that he sang as if he were part of the heavenly choir. The Holland brothers, Jesse, Quincy and Theo would tell you how they loved him enough to run off the local bully, Leroy Roscoe. But, Cousin Ernest Moore would tell you how Luther stole his girl’s heart while he was away. And this is what you would know of Luther above all, that he was a great lover of all those that were his. Luther was born to Doyle and Gracie Lee Crawford on October 10, 1929. He grew up of meager means in Ringgold, Louisiana with his younger brother Alvin Oree Crawford until Alvin’s illness and untimely death at the young age of about eight. When he wasn’t working next to his father in the fields or local farms, he could be found running around the way boys do with his many cousins. Now, Doyle and Gracie Lee were strong of faith and kept Luther in church during his upbringing. Cousin Reginald tells of the night he and Luther (now thirteen) walked to Mt Zion Baptist Church. They witnessed to each other and spoke of the things of God. That night they would each give their lives to Christ and from that night forward would refer to themselves as twins. His young adult years were spent in Los Angeles with his cousin Milton working at Cadium Nickel Plating Co. By the time Luther was ready to settle down he was thirty-one, but he would tell his soon to be mother-in-law that he was only twenty-nine in order to better his chances of winning the privilege of courting her daughter. Beverly Jean Hess (Crawford) was eighteen and dating Luther’s cousin Earnest. Earnest was away taking care of his sick mother and had left word with Luther to keep an eye on “his girl.” Beverly remembers the daily “honk” Luther would give as he drove by. But the love of his life was too much to resist and he asked her to accompany him on a picnic--her first ever. Beverly would say that she remembers him being very handsome, with a beautiful smile. He told her he wanted twelve children. They had seven. To support his growing family, Luther dedicated his life to providing for his family. He worked to provide food, shelter, and had enough love to give his children at the end of the workday. When he and Beverly met, he worked as a tailor at Fashion Built Grament Co. In order to better support his growing family, Luther transitioned to D & H Tire and then on to C.L. Fairley Construction Co. where he retired after 20 years of service. In his later life, Luther could often be found contemplating the deeper things of God. At any moment he could be heard shouting, “hallelujah!” at the top of his lungs, and if you were to engage him in that moment, he would tell how he had just gotten another, “golden nugget” from heaven. Or, “your messing with my river,” which meant the he was feeling the presence of Holy Ghost. Luther served in the church all of his adult life holding the office of deacon in many churches. He was eventually ordained by Pastor Eldoris Bonner as a Bishop under the authority of Aenon Bible College, Pentecostal Assemblies of The World inc. The churches where her served included: King Solomon Baptist - Deacon, Salem Baptist Church- Deacon & Sunday School Superintendent, Bethel Pentecostal Church - (where he received the Holy Ghost), Divine Pentecostal Church - Deacon, Faith Ministries - Deacon and received ordination to Bishop, Bethel House of Prayer - Deacon, and Hope 4 Life - Bishop Emeritus. Luther’s leaves a legacy of a man overflowing with Holy Ghost. Luther Lorashus Crawford is survived by his loving wife of fifty-nine years, Beverly Jean Crawford, his seven children, twenty one grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren: *(what Luther would call his children) Children: Broderick Rayphel Crawford (No 1), Alvino Ray (Vino) & Beverly Joe Crawford, Chrystal Lynn (Missy Lynn) & Robert Terry Truss II (preceeded in death), Rodney Lavance (Rascal) & Phyllis Michelle Crawford, Kathy Ann (Kathann) & Charleston Linard (Corky) Rollins (preceeded in death), Pamela Marie (Brown round) & Andrew Leroy (Drew) Ward, Gina Rene’ (Gina Ree-na) & Andre Victorino Vazquez Grand Children: Latoya Patrice & Eric Lewis, Timothy Donathon & Tara Crawford, Chrishawna LaNay Truss, James Broderick Crawford, Latonya Denise & Rodney Block, Robert Terry Truss III, Alvino Dwight Crawford (preceeded in death), Ashley Irene Nicole Crawford, Channell Jean Reneace Crawford, Phyllishia Elizabeth LaNay Crawford, Christopher LoRay & Sharnia LaSha McConnell, Rodney Linel Lavance Crawford, Broderick Rayphel Crawford Jr, Kaleb Montre’ Crawford, Anna Daniel Vazquez, Elias Antonio Vazquez, Isabella Inez Vazquez, Kaiydja Dy-Nee Crawford, Demond Jones Crawford, Benz Rey Murray Crawford, Enyce Murray Crawford Great-grandchildren: Lyric Crawford, Laiyha Crawford, Elijah J.L Crawford, Katlyn Truss, Piper Truss, Preston C. L. Crawford, Zion G. Z. Zachery, Saniyah A. M. Johnson, Christopher LoRay McConnell Jr, Christian Dominic McConnell, Trashaun King Crawford and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews. Luther will be fondly remembered as a fierce lover of God, his beloved wife, his sons and daughters, and all those who cared to sit with him. One of his unfulfilled wishes was to someday go to Jerusalem. While he never made it in this life, we are overconfident that he is no longer constrained by its limitations as his last words were, “at peace, at peace, at peace!” Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Blue Hills Church of the Nazarene 10306 Blue Ridge KCMO. Visitation 10:00 a.m. Interment Twelve Gates Memorial Gardens Cemetery. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Luther Lorashus Crawford, please visit our floral store. Read More

Luther Lorashus Crawford

October 10, 1929 - January 14, 2020