Tom Crawford passed away Sunday, Nov 6, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Reba of 70 years, children Chloe Crawford (David Norrell), Claire Crawford, Kim Crawford Nalley, Beth Dixon (Tim) and Paul Crawford (Tricia), 11 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers Ed Crawford and Ray Crawford and his sister Martha Christian.

Many will remember him as part of West Georgia College in Carrollton, GA from their own days as a student or faculty member. At the age of 17 he hitchhiked from Kentucky to Georgia because his mother had seen an ad in the paper advertising Reinhardt College as a place where a student could work to pay their way through school. The last person who stopped to give him a lift was the President of Reinhardt College. He asked Daddy why he was heading to Reinhardt and upon hearing Daddy's answer he was so impressed he became a steadfast advocate for him throughout his college years. In the years following, Daddy would marry the girl he fell in love with at Reinhardt, enlist in the Coast Guard until the end of the Korean War, continue his education at Emory University, be blessed with five children and, in 1967, create the West Georgia College Geology Department, along with Dr. Bill Morehead. This became one of the proudest achievements in his lifetime of promoting education, in particular the study of Geology. He became a leading structural geologist as he mapped, on foot, the Piedmont of Georgia creating hundreds of geologic topographic maps as well as scientific papers. During the 1990's he began to focus more on water resources within the Piedmont, leading to a second career in locating groundwater resources for individuals, cities, counties, state and federal jurisdictions. In 1988, he became involved in an organization interested in developing a

comprehensive test for licensure of professional Geologists that would be accepted by all states requiring licensure. This group saw a need for a test that any state requiring licensure could use and be assured of the qualifications of their applicants. This organization became the Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG). It began with 7 member states. The total is now 33 states, and the test developed so many years ago is used in all of these states. Tom Crawford was elected as the first president of ASBOG in 1993. He remained heavily involved in ASBOG for another seventeen years, continuing to promote and encourage its members until his death.

His life has been a full one. From his early years growing up in a large, close family headed by a single mother, during his adolescence when he got his first job at age 11, and throughout his life, he has had a strong work ethic and a strong desire for learning. That desire expanded into teaching and encouraging others to always strive to live to their full potential. As his family, we have not only felt his love and encouragement but have witnessed it repeated many times in the lives he has touched, and has been touched by, no matter where we were in the USA. He was always interested in seeing those who approached him and never failed to take time to chat.

Tom Crawford was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and friend. He will be missed immensely because of all that he was to all that he knew.

The gathering of family and friends was held on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

Messages of condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.almonfuneralhome.com

Almon Funeral Home of Carrollton has charge of arrangements.