GLADYS LARSON CRAWLEY, 85, of Ranger, TX passed
away on July 5th, 2006, with burial in Evergreen
Cemetery at Ranger, TX.
Mrs. Crawley was born on May 14, 1921 in Waco, TX,
to Albin & Hildegarde Lindloff Larson. She grew up
in Ranger and graduated salutatorian from Ranger High
School & attended Ranger Junior College. She married
Price Crawley (RHS-1932) on Nov. 19, 1939 in Odessa
& they lived in Ranger until Price joined the military
and moved to Baltimore. After the service they moved
back to Ranger & later to Midland where they owned and
operated Price Crawley Rexall Drug from 1953 to 1989.
When he retired they moved back to Ranger. Gladys was a
member of the First United Methodist Church and United
Methodist Women's Association. Gladys was always very
active in the community helping with Meals on Wheels
and the Ranger Historical Society. The last years of
Price's life she spent taking care of him until his
death on Dec. 24, 1996.
Mrs. Crawley is preceded in death by her parents, her
husband and a son Sterling Price Crawley Jr. in 1998,
& step-mother, Elva Cruse Larson.
At the time of her death, she was survived by her daughter
Sharon Garner and her husband Lynn of Ranger; a brother
Fred Larson and his wife Barbara of Waco; two grandsons
Neal Overstreet of San Antonio and Price Overstreet of
the Houston area; and several nieces nephews & cousins.
STEP-MOTHER: ELVA JAMES CRUSE LARSON was born June 27,
1902 & died August 16, 1999, with burial at Liberty City
Cemetery in Liberty, TX.
Her parents, Charlie & Fannie James had four daughters
and one son. Elva grew up in Shepherd, TX, and later
attended Kidd Key College in Sherman, TX. After college
& while teaching school, she met and married Oscar Cruse
in 1925. Living in Hull, TX, she and Oscar had three
children, Peggy, Deanie and Dan. Oscar died at an early
age in 1940. Elva & the children then moved to Liberty,
TX, where she owned and operated the House of Flowers for
several years. Through relatives in Palo Pinto County,
Elva met Al Larson of Ranger, TX on a fall deer hunt in
1951. Al & Elva were married in 1952 and Elva moved to
Ranger.
In the 47 years she lived in Ranger, Elva will be remembered
for her sharp wit, determined nature and quick mind. She
was very active in the 1920 Club and the Columbia Study
Club. An avid reader, Elva’s reputation as a reviewer
of books will be a legacy. She continued to present book
reviews we past her 90th birthday. She loved to “debate”
with her friends and to win at the bridge table. She
was proud of her Texas heritage and had a keen sense of
Texas History. A long-time member of St. Rita’s Parish in
Ranger, she wrote a complete history of the church and
spearheaded an effort to have the church granted a Texas
historical marker. Elva was preceded in death by her
husbands, Oscar Cruse and Al Larson. Also, by her sisters,
Leora Clancy, Olive Clements, Mertis Kennedy, and her
brother Ray James. Also preceding her in death were a
daughter, Deanie Cox of Temple & a great-grandson Justin
Dean Cox of Grapevine.
At the time of her death, she is survived by her daughter,
Peggy Inzer and husband Slim of Gretna, LA.; son, Dan
Cruse and wife Margie of Dallas and her son-in-law
Travis Cox of Temple. Gladys Crawley of Ranger and
Fred Larson & wife Barbara of Waco have enjoyed Elva’s
love for the many years since Elva married their father.
Additionally, she is survived by many grandchildren
& great-grandchildren.