Steven P. Crawford

Services for Steven Crawford will be Saturday, March 30, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the new gym in Roff. The family will receive relatives and friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2024 at Criswell Funeral Home.

Steven Paul Crawford was born August 23, 1949 in McAlester, Oklahoma to Lloyd Crawford and Kathleen (Goode) Crawford. Steven was the third of their seven children.  He passed from this life on March 22, 2024 at the family home in Fitzhugh.

Steven attended school at Haywood High School, Haywood, OK, graduating in 1967.  He attended college at Oklahoma State University and East Central University.  He received his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics Education in 1973.  He began his career in education at Stuart Public School in 1974.  He became the elementary principal after one semester of teaching.

In 1974, Steven met Paula Spurgin, who had come to Stuart to teach.  They were married on May 24, 1975.  On August 11, 1977, Steven and Paula became the parents of triplets:  Brooke, Blake, and Brent.  The Crawfords both received their Masters' Degrees a month before the triplets had their second birthday.

Mr. Crawford served as high school principal at Kiefer Public School.  In 1980, he was named Superintendent of Moss Public School.  At that time, he was the youngest superintendent in Oklahoma.

Mr. Crawford also served as superintendent of Shattuck Public School, Roff Public School, and Byng Public School.  In 2008, Mr. Crawford was named as Executive Director of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) where he served until his retirement in 2016. Since he retired, he has served as the Co-Executive Director of Oklahoma Association Serving Impacted Schools (OASIS).

Mr. Crawford was selected for the Oklahoma Foundation for Education Award for Excellence in Administration (2008), Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame (2013), OSAC Outstanding Contributions to Oklahoma Education (2013), East Central University Education Hall of Fame (2016) and received numerous additional awards at the state and national levels.

Mr. Crawford is survived by his wife of 48 years, Paula of the home.  Children: Stephanie Brooke Kingsley and her husband, Peter of Boulder, CO; Steven Blake Crawford and his wife Kim of Fitzhugh; and Stanley Brent Crawford and his wife, Jamie, of Roff.  Eight grandchildren: Breecia Crawford Kinder, and her husband Reid of Edmond; Amy Crawford Villafranco, and her husband Cruz of Roff; Kassidy Reust of Boulder, CO; Aleah Crawford, of Byng; Allyson Crawford, of Perkins, Kaden Reust, of Honolulu; Clay Crawford, and his wife Ashlie of Roff, and Jake Crawford of Roff.  Great-grandchildren: Xavier Villafranco of Roff, and Adilee Kinder (due in June, 2024).  Sister Mary Shafer and her husband, Guy, of Dallas; brothers Allen Crawford of Ardmore, Jack Crawford and his wife, Kay, of McAlester, Mike Crawford and his wife, Pat, of Haywood, and Bob Crawford, and his wife, Angie of Oswalt, sister-in-law, Myrna Sam, and her husband Steve, of Ft. Worth, and brother-in-laws David Spurgin and his wife, Renee, of Velma, and Jack Berry of Ada.

He was preceded in death by his parents, mother- and father-in-law, Cleo and LoRay Spurgin, sister Sharalan Crawford, and sister-in-law, Myra Berry.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Steven P. Crawford Scholarship Fund at Roff Public School.