Thomas Crenshaw Crawford

Thomas Crenshaw Crawford, “Tommy”, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2021, after a brief battle with multiple myeloma. Tom was born on November 5, 1940, to Jackson Elliott and Anne Crenshaw Crawford in Montgomery, Alabama. He grew up in Fort Deposit, Alabama where he graduated from Lowndes County High School. Tom excelled in many activities in school including winning a seat in the Alabama All State Band for clarinet (twice), Beta Club and lettering in football and basketball. He attended Alabama Boys State in 1957, was elected Governor and was the Alabama representative to Boys Nation. He is a 1962 graduate of Auburn University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity where he was honored with loyal friends through the years. He served as a freshman Senator in 1958, and he was inducted into Squires Freshman Honorary. As an Auburn Football cheerleader Tom expanded his love for all Auburn sports teams. This War Eagle spirit was ever present throughout his life.

After graduation, Tom taught school for one year in Bremen, Georgia, and he said it was the most rewarding job that he ever had. He joined the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Benning. Following his Army service, he had a successful career with IBM in their data processing division for 6 years. In 1971, after moving to Atlanta, Georgia, he started a custom homebuilding company, T.C. Crawford and Associates. With Tom’s creativity and business acumen, he earned an exemplary reputation as an outstanding homebuilder and developer. He was dedicated to quality, and he readily gave his time and efforts to mentor other builders on their road to success. In 1989, he moved to the Fort Walton and Destin areas where he continued his building and development career in Florida as Chateau Builders. In 1995, he expanded his business to Cashiers, North Carolina where he developed the mountain subdivision, Zachary’s Gap. He always liked to have a project underway.

Tom was an avid fisherman, and he loved being on the water with his friends and family. Following retirement, he felt blessed to be able to spend time between the beach in Destin and the mountains in Cashiers. He enjoyed playing tennis, gardening, and building small wood working projects in his shop.

Tom was a loving husband, brother, father, and grandfather. He will be dearly missed by his wife of 31 years, Mary Lamar Benton Crawford; daughters Kathy Ghirardini (Bill) and Elizabeth Riddle (Jamie), and his sister, Mary Bruce Robinson. He was a proud “Papa” to grandchildren Thomas and Robert Ghirardini and McKinley and Jack Riddle. He also leaves behind his favorite puppy, Molly.

Services will be held at Destin United Methodist Church, 200 Beach Drive, on Monday, January 3, 2022, at 2:00 PM followed by a reception at Kelly Plantation Clubhouse.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Alaqua Animal Rescue or to Children in Crisis.