In Loving Memory of
Charles 'Chas' Crawford
March 14, 2018 – A life of love, service, and quiet brilliance.
Welcome. This website is dedicated to honoring the life and legacy of Charles Crawford—a loving husband, father, grandfather, veteran, engineer, fixer of all things, and a man known for his dry humor and quiet acts of devotion. Here, friends and family can share stories and explore a curated collection of memories gathered through conversations with those who knew him best.
A Life Well Lived
Charles Wayne Crawford was born in Montgomery, Alabama and raised in Los Angeles. A natural problem-solver, he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Cal State Long Beach and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He traveled the world during his Air Force service—setting up communication systems in places like Alaska, Vietnam, Japan, Germany, and even the remote Bikini Atoll—gaining a deep appreciation for global perspectives and cultures.
After meeting his beloved wife Joan, they married in 1968 and raised a family in Sacramento. Charles worked in Silicon Valley and later for the State of California, always tinkering, fixing, and quietly helping others. He loved chocolate cream pie, his glue gun, fruit trees, and most of all, his family.
Stories from Those Who Knew Him Best
Collected from family interviews and personal reflections.
A Legacy That Lives On
He was a veteran, an engineer, a caregiver, and a builder. He fixed things with a glue gun and love. He mentored with humor and humility. And most of all, he showed us that real strength often speaks softly. His legacy lives on in every fence he built, every car he patched, and every person he helped.