William Thomas Gentry Crankshaw, Sr., 86, succumbed in hospice Tuesday, June 1, 2021. “Tom,” finally made frail of the flesh, never showed weakness of the spirit. The family’s sadness at his passing is only allayed by the certain knowledge of where he now abides. A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 12, 2021, in the chapel of Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home. Visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. prior to, and an informal reception will follow, the service.
Born May 1, 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia, to the late Charles Weir and Mary Pepper Crankshaw, his service to both God and country go back to his high school days when as a junior he joined the National Guard, and following graduation, enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving twenty months in Yokohama, Japan. Later, he joined the United States Coast Guard Reserve serving 39 years until his retirement in 2000. In 1985, Governor Joe Frank Harris chose Tom as the Coast Guard Reservist of the Year for the State of Georgia in recognition of his service to the Guard and his community.
Not long after his return from Japan, Tom met the love of his life, Carol Jean Curran of Neptune Beach, Florida, with whom he spent his life and raised three children. With a career in hospital administration and consultancy spanning four decades, Tom never stinted on the time he gave to his kids and community. Coaching Little and Junior League baseball for 15 years, his high point was leading the City of Brunswick Junior All-Stars to their first ever state championship in 1971. He also worked diligently for the Kiwanis Club for 45 years in Brunswick and Savannah, receiving the Governor’s Leadership Award in 2003 and 2004. Tom and Carol were active in the Kairos Prison Ministry for over 25 years with Tom serving on the state Board of Directors and as state Treasurer four different terms.
Tom was of a brusque yet genial temperament. Forthright sometimes to the point of “blunt,” no one was ever left in doubt of where he stood. His energy, honesty, and sincerity were obvious. It has been a long race, and he has run it well. Anyone who knew William Thomas Gentry Crankshaw, Sr. was the better for it, as was his town and his country.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Crankshaw.
Survivors include his wife Carol Curran Crankshaw of Richmond Hill; sons, William T.G. (Bill) Crankshaw, Jr. (Annette) of Sunbury, and John Lawrence Crankshaw (Traci) of Brunswick; a daughter, Linda Baker and husband Tom of Staunton, VA; six grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren; a brother, Joe Crankshaw of Stuart, FL, a sister, Shelly Garrett of Orlando, FL, half-brothers Jerry D. Hopkins (Sally) of Moultonborough, NH, and Robert Giles (Colleen) of Millersville, MD; a sister in law, Ruth (Mrs. Charles) Crankshaw of Pittsburgh, PA; and an abundance of also much-loved nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be sent to Kairos of Georgia, P.O. Box 63, Kathleen, GA 31047, or Hospice Savannah, 1352 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, GA 31406.
Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. www.edomillerandsons.com
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