Robert John Crawford

Robert John Crawford was born on June 26, 1956 in Seattle to Margery Hill Crawford & Robert Russell Crawford. He has one older sister, Kathryn Leigh Crawford. Bob did not live in Seattle long before his dad was transferred to Bellingham, WA. They first lived in a pink, cement block house with a large barn outside of town before moving into town across the street from Broadway Park. Bob went to grade school in Bellingham where he learned to play the drums. In eighth grade the family moved to Mercer Island, where he graduated from high school. Bob joined the Green Lake Crew team and loved to snow ski. He and his dad took up SCUBA diving together. In the early 60’s Bob’s parents bought waterfront property on Vashon/Maury Island and they started spending their summers there. Bob loved their modest little trailer and it became his favorite place in the world to be. He enjoyed boating, skiing, bonfires and the beach, and made many lifelong friends with the families down the road. Here, next door to his cousins, he enjoyed sibling-like relationships lasting a lifetime. After high school Bob attended the University of Washington and rowed for the Huskies. He lived in the Shell House enjoying the social life and opportunities with his teammates. He was a beloved member of the team. At one point they were asked to work construction on McRory’s Pub, which turned into a job as a bartender in the McRoy/Jake O’Shaughnessy’s corporation when the pub was opened. This is where he later met a vivacious, young waitress named Vicki Getzin. After college Bob started working for one of the first exercise bike companies in Washington, Amerec. The young people working there were on the cutting edge of the exercise world and he enjoyed the benefits of travel and entertainment as a young businessman. Besides working, Bob joined the ski patrol and loved running marathons. He was the team captain for “Bobby’s Bad Boys”, partaking in the Ski-to-Sea races for several years. In 1985, Bob and Vicki were married and bought their first home in Kirkland. Soon after, their son Lewis was born. Growing out of their small home, they moved to Redmond where daughter Hannah was born and stayed until 1995. Bob was offered a job in the expanding world of vitamins, which involved a move to Park City, Utah, where they stayed for 14 years. But, loving the Northwest, they decided to move back to the Puget Sound, settling in their home in Puyallup, after their kids were out of school. Bob was loved by everyone he met. He loved a good party and practical jokes. With a smile on his face he was always ready to offer a margarita, known as “Danger-itas”. He took up the harmonica and could jam with a band - including his own wedding reception where Vicki says she hardly saw him as he played along. Bob was a very kind and sensitive soul and the young kids would crowd around him if “Uncle Bob” was in town. He would wrestle, shoot BB guns and take them fishing. Bob would have celebrated his 67th birthday this year with his cousin John, who was born on the same date four years earlier. Bob has also been raising his grandchildren, Nicolai and Nathan, for the past 7 1/2 years and considered it a blessing to have them. He was a wonderful role as a loving and supportive grandfather. Bob will be missed by all who knew him, but our hearts are full of the great memories we had together. May he rest in peace.

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