Kurt Bannon Crain

Kurt Bannon Crain -- 47, a Birmingham, Alabama, native, loving husband and father, died on April 10, 2012. He is survived by his wife, Susan Wenning Crain, and their three children, Jacob, Shelby, and Blain; his mother, Mary Ann Crain; sister, Lynn Crain Stephens, her husband David and their children, Caleb and Collin; and his brother Jonny. He was preceded in death by his father, J.B. Crain; his nephew, Christopher; and his godfather, Denny Stradtman. Kurt was a graduate of W.A. Berry High School and was an All-American linebacker at Auburn University, where he helped lead the team to the 1987 SEC Championship. Following college, he was drafted by Houston and played two seasons in the NFL with the Oilers and the Green Bay Packers. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn and later was a member of Larry Blakeney's staff at Troy. He was hired by Pat Sullivan to work on Sullivan's TCU staff in 1992 and the next year returned to Auburn as a coach. Prior to joining the South Alabama staff in 2008, Crain had been hired as an assistant coach for the All-America Football League team in Birmingham. Crain coached inside linebackers for three years at South Alabama before moving to coach the defensive line this season. A memorial service will be held in Mobile at Cottage Hill Baptist Church on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held in Birmingham at Southern Heritage Funeral Home on Friday, April 13, 2012. Visitation begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Kurt’s Life at 5:30. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com and www.southernheritagefunerals.com.