Obituary of Murray Charles Crawford

Murray Charles Crawford, age 78 of Norwalk, formerly of FL, died peacefully on November 12, 2016. Born in Waukegan, IL on July 1, 1938, he was the son of the late William Basil Crawford, a federal prosecutor who helped to win the conviction of mobster Al Capone, and Jane Murray Crawford. Mr. Crawford was a graduate of the Waukegan Township High School and Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio. He started his advertising career as an account executive at Young & Rubicam, Inc. in Manhattan. Prior to that, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1961 to 1969, following a love for sailing acquired in childhood. Mr. Crawford was the consummate renaissance man. He would toil in pursuit of perfecting soups and stews, cultivating beef steak tomatoes in his garden or voraciously consuming knowledge of exotic cultures. His happiest moments were with his sons circumnavigating the far reaches of Long Island Sound on his sloop, the Mistral. This lust for travel and adventurous spirit led him to spend several years in Hawaii where he indulged in the local cuisine, studied the native language and traditions and wandered the islands to take in the natural beauty. Mr. Crawford passed on his diverse passions to his four sons, inspiring them to travel the globe, pursue careers in writing and cooking as well as bestowing a love of the ocean and nature that continues to live on. Mr. Crawford is survived by his sons, Gregory Patton (Suzanne) Crawford of CO, and granddaughters Grace and Mary; William Charles (Rebecca) Crawford of Norwalk, grandson Liam and granddaughters Campbell and Patton; Peter Murray (Courtenay) Crawford of Greenwich, and Jonathan Niblock Crawford of NYC; and his brother, William Basil (Marci) Crawford of IL. He was predeceased by his sister, Julie Barker. Funeral services are private. The Wakelee Memorial Funeral Home, 167 Wakelee Avenue, Ansonia is in care of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.wakeleememorial.com.