William Edward Crawford went home to be with the Lord on July 4, 2020. Known to friends and family as “Ed”, Edward, Uncle or Grandpa Ed, he was born on September 18, 1931 in the Pine Castle neighborhood of Orlando.  He died of complications of dementia, following several weeks of hospital and hospice care at ORMC.  Even in this time of restrictions on interactions due to the Covid 19 pandemic, his daughter, Cori, and son-in-law, Brian, were able to be with him at the time of his death.

Edward was the second of four children born to James Edward Crawford and Mary Lavonia Goodwin Crawford.  He attended Pine Castle Elementary School, Orlando High School and the University of Florida, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Business Education. 

Ed served in the Air Force for two years, as an Air Traffic controller, stationed in Sherman, Texas.  Then he worked for IBM for 20 years managing Data Processing Training for clients. He was known for “taking away the mystery of computers” among the business he served.  Later he owned and ran a Kwik Kopy franchise for 10 years, and kept up a variety of endeavors through his retirement.

Orlando was Ed's home during his childhood and later adult life. In recent years he was part of the community of residents at Orlando Lutheran Towers.  Other interests included worshipping at Spring of Life Methodist Church, working as a cast member at Disney and volunteering with Hospice. 

Edward is survived by his brother, Jimmy (James Parker) Crawford, his daughters Lyn Crawford and Cori Crawford Van Oss, and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and very dear friends.

A memorial service will be held on August 6, 2020 at 10:00 am.  The service will be held at Community Presbyterian Church, 511 Celebration Avenue, Celebration, Florida.  Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, Florida.