WILLIAM WELDON CRAWFORD,

of Little Rock passed away on June 7, 2020, at 90 years of age. Bill was the son of Joseph Weldon Crawford and Grace Porterfield Crawford of Little Rock. He is survived by his sons, Craig, (Marilyn Greene), and Bobby (Carrie); two grandchildren, Grace and William, and his brother, Jody Crawford (Sandra) all of Little Rock. He is also survived by his niece, Peggy Ealy and her daughter, Jodi. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years, Marilyn Wagner Crawford, whom he met while he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

As a young man, Bill was active in Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He was a 1948 Graduate of Little Rock High School and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1952. In High School, he was a member of the Delts Fraternity. In college, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and remained involved throughout his life. He served in the United States Air Force where he achieved the rank of First Lieutenant, and he was a long-time faithful member of St. James United Methodist Church.

As a young boy, he got his first experience in sales by managing score card sales for the Arkansas Travelers. After graduating from the U of A, he chose a career in life insurance, and worked as an agent for Penn Mutual life insurance company. Bill had the knowledge and special ability to help his clients protect their families, and he cared for them for life. He was with Penn Mutual and was an independent life insurance agent for over 50 years and was well respected in his field. He achieved Penn Mutual’s highest honor, the Golden Eagle ranking, by achieving Top 50 producers in sales in the U.S. for the entire Penn Mutual Organization.

The family would like to send a special note of thanks to Mrs. Paula Hearne. Paula has been Bill’s dedicated assistant for over 36 years working to manage his office, records and finances. She had an unwavering commitment to Bill through his entire working life.

Bill was a dedicated Razorback fan, rooting on the Hogs in football, basketball and baseball for many years. He was an inaugural member of the touchdown club in Little Rock and took great joy in the recap of each week’s games and previews of upcoming opponents. He was also a longtime member of The Country Club of Little Rock where he was a talented golfer well in to his 80s and took pride in being able to shoot his age. He was also an avid horse racing fan and had a keen ability to play the horses at Oaklawn Jockey Club and he was a winner.

Marilyn and Bill were seasoned travelers and enjoyed numerous trips throughout Europe, the US, but his favorite place to relax was on a beach in Destin. Bill was a kind, warm man, and he never met a stranger. He would stand at the water’s edge, eager to meet someone new and share his knowledge of the area. Everyone who met Bill left as a better person after meeting him. One of his favorite celebrations was “National Hug Day” which he observed every day of the year.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock, Ark. 72202. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a private funeral for the family will be held, however friends may post a message for the family in the online guest book at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.