Melvin Crawford

Final Rites for Melvin Crawford Are Held Saturday

Funeral services were held Saturday for Melvin Crawford at 2:00 p.m. from the Peet Chapel with Rev. Edward Poser, Pastor of the Manville Community Church, officiating. Burial was made in the Lusk Cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Pfeifer and Mr. and Mrs. Roy Elder sang "Saved by Grace", "Sweet Bye and Bye" and "Sweetly Resting". Mrs. J. P. Watson was organist.

Active casket bearers were Howard Foster, Curtis Freeman, Neil Grant, Emery Gaukel, Clyde Blackmore and Warren Freeman. Honorary casket bearers were Robert Ruda, Carl Spacht, Lee Stoddard, Jim Ringer, Sr., Marion Rasmusen, Charlie Gaukel, Clayton Eddie and Charlie Hitshew.

Melvin Crawford, long time resident and pioneer homesteader of Niobrara County, was born November 13, 1871 in Edwards County, Ill.

In 1891 he married Elma Barrett of Stewartsville, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford homesteaded a mile north of what is now Keeline in 1909. In 1909 only the railroad station marked the location of Keeline on the vast Wyoming prairie. He farmed on the homestead until his retirement in 1952 when he and Mrs. Crawford moved to Lusk. Last July Mr. and Mrs. Crawford celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary.

He served as a 4-H Club leader, a schoolboard member for 20 years and an active Farm Bureau member.

Survivors include his wife, two adopted children, Louise Whitman of Denver and Robert Crawford, Rapid City, six grandchildren; four sisters, Ida Norris, Boise, Idaho, Jessie Cox, Midwest, Wyo. Martha Van May, Evansville, Ind., Nell Hamm, St. Petersburg, Fla.; and one brother Paul.

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