James Crawford

On February 28, Jim Crawford of Freeville left this world to join His Father in heaven. Jim was born in the Philippines to his missionary parents in 1956 and moved to this area while in grade school, eventually graduating from Ithaca High School. He then attended Cornell University studying Government and obtained a bachelor's degree. He initially worked in Job Training locally, helping people who needed assistance getting a job. Out of his desire for good government, he started the Herald Examiner so people would have access to well informed discourse on the relevant issues of the day. He published this newspaper with his wife Nancy for thirty two years.

Out of his passion to see others served and in alignment with his Christian beliefs, he founded Community Faith Partners with other brothers of faith and served as its Director for fifteen years. Together with many others, they accomplished service projects for community members in need and he visited the jail to help men get back on their feet when returning to the outside world.

He loved reading to his three girls, Christina, Cynthia, and Jessica and was instrumental in starting the Family Reading Partnership.

He believed in helping young women in time of need, which led him, with others, to start the Ithaca Pregnancy Center giving support for those who wanted to choose life for an unborn child.

He will be sincerely missed by his wife, Nancy, and their three girls: Christina, who is a missionary with her husband Jack and son Elliott; Cynthia, who is an occupation therapist in the Navy with her husband Steven and two girls Colette and Penelope; Jessica, who is a designer with her husband Benlin; and Jim’s stepson, Keith, who has three children, Dale, Alexa, and Miles with their mother Erika. His mother, Mary Crawford, who lives in Freeville with Jim and Nancy, will also deeply miss him.

Jim was predeceased by his father, Robert, and his brother, Steve Crawford, whose wife Susan and daughter Carolyn still live in the area. He is survived by his brother, Paul, who resides with his wife Ann in Florida, and his sister, Donna, who lives in Wisconsin with her husband Steve March.

There will be a Memorial Service for Jim on Saturday, March 11 at 1:00pm at Thrive Church, 318 Johnson Rd, Freeville, NY 13068.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Perkins Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made to Jim’s family at www.perkinsfh.com.