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Gale Marie Crawford
06/03/1927 — 08/07/2024
From Richland, WA | Born in Madison, IL
Public Viewing
Starts:
Sat, September 7, 2024, 10:00 am
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Celebration of Life
Starts:
Sat, September 7, 2024, 11:00 am
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Graveside Service
Starts:
Sat, September 7, 2024, 12:00 pm
Location:
Sunset Gardens
915 Bypass Highway, Richland, WA 99352
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Gale Marie Crawford
Gale Marie Moore Crawford passed away and danced into her Lord’s loving arms on August 07, 2024, at the grand age of 97 years young in Richland, Washington.
She was born June 3, 1927, in Madison, Illinois to Gottleib Christjohn Mezger and Gladys Idell Libla Mezger. There she attended grade school and graduated from Madison High School.
Upon Robert E. Moore (Bob) being discharged from the US Navy, Gale married Bob on August 12, 1946. Bob and Gale remained married for 45 years until his death August 17, 1991. They had 5 children, Janet, Linda, Kathie, Karen, and Kevin.
Leaving behind most of their extended family due to a work strike at Shell Oil Refinery in Wood River, Illinois, Bob moved Gale and their kids from Madison, Illinois, to Richland, Washington. In 1962, Bob went to work at Hanford, Washington, and Gale went to work for Columbia Oil in Richland, Washington. Although Gale always worked until her retirement, her work positions in Richland were always such to match the school schedule of her children. She would drop Karen and Kevin off at school in the morning before heading to work (Janet and Kathie always had to walk!). She took summers off so that the family could travel. Her love of travel began during the summers when the family bought a camp trailer and summer camped from the last day of school till the beginning of the next school year.
In 1977, leaving their daughters behind in Washington, Bob, Gale and Son Kevin moved back to Missouri where they lived 2 years on a lake in Indian Hills of Cuba, Missouri. After realizing telephone calls were too expensive between them in Missouri and their daughters in Washington State, Bob and Gale once again packed up and returned to Washington! Gale went to work at the Transportation Department of Hanford and retired from Westinghouse Hanford on October 1, 1988.
Gale accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age of 12. She was a member of the First Methodist Church in Madison, Illinois, transferring to West Side Church in 1967 in Richland, Washington. Upon her marriage to James E. Crawford on October 8, 1994, she transferred to First Christian Church in Pasco, Washington. Gale loved singing hymns in Sunday Church Services. She knelt beside her bed each night to say her prayers and to pray for those she knew to be in need.
Gale loved to shop, dress up, dance (oh my, she loved to dance!), read romance, go camping, as well as travel to Hawaii, including several times to Maui. She loved her trips to China, Japan, and cruises to Mexico, Alaska, Caribbean, Panama Canal, New Zealand, Australia, and flying to Puerto Montt, Chile when her great-granddaughter Olivia Kelly was 3 weeks old in 2001.
Gale was a member of the Eastern Star Chapter #239 of Richland, Washington. She became a 50-year member in November 2000. She also belonged to the Order of Railroad Telegraphers, the Ladies Auxiliary Post #7952 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Richland, Washington, and the American Legion Auxiliary, Post #34, Pasco, Washington.
Other active memberships she enjoyed were the Golden Hour Dance Band Club, Hanford Retiree’s Association, Community Concerts, Richland Players, Ramblin’ Rover’s, the Elder Med, Fun, Fit and Over Fifty Club, and the Tri-Cities American Hockey Booster Club. She, along with her husband Bob Moore, was a season ticket holder of the Tri-Cities American Hockey Team since 1988 starting when her son Kevin provided the whole family with Christmas tickets. After Bob’s death, she and Jim followed the team. Gale accompanied Jim to Cowboy Gatherings for music and poetry.
A very proud moment for Gale was when she actually participated in the Ceremonies of Induction of her grandson, Craig Kelly, into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Gale is survived by her daughters, Janet Witzler and husband Evan of North Bend, Washington, and Karen Buchanan and husband Randy of Richland, Washington.
She leaves grandchildren Brian Kelly (Kelly) of Bellingham, Washington, Gillian Kelly of Federal Way, Washington, Jessica Mrazik (Tom) of Mountlake Terrace, Washington, Joshua Moore of
Seattle, Washington, Steven Adair of Benton City, Washington, Jacob Moore of Kennewick, Washington.
She leaves great-grandchildren Nikolas Kelly, Alexander Kelly, Zakary Kelly, and Elias Kelly, all of Bellingham, Washington, Ben Mrazik, Max Mrazik, and Juliette Mrazik, all of Mountlake Terrace, Washington, and Olivia Kelly (and mother Savina Kelly) of Nelson, B.C., Canada.
Gale also leaves many loving nieces and nephews.
Other survivors include her step-family Curtis Crawford, Janelle Crawford, Christine Lipscomb, and their families.
Preceding Gale in her death were her parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Mezger, her infant daughter Linda Jean Moore, first husband Robert E. Moore, first grandson Craig E. Kelly, only son Kevin A. Moore, third daughter Kathie E. Moore Adair, and her recently deceased second husband James E. Crawford. Two sisters, Ellen Geraldine Mezger Brooks and Gertrude Irene Mezger Stafford, also pre-deceased Gale.
Memorial Service will be on Saturday, September 07, 2024, at 11:00 am at Einan’s At Sunset in Richland, Washington, with interment following at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
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Gale Marie Crawford