Obituary of Charles Edward Crafton
died: July 16, 1957
Pekin paper, July 1957
Charles Crafton Dies Tuesday In Pekin Hospital
   Charles Edward Crafton, 219 Koch street, died in Pekin Hospital at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday.
   Born in Snicarte, Mason county Apr. 1, 1873, Mr. Crafton was the son of James and Mary Jane Vaughn Crafton.
   He was married to Mary Charlotte Whitehead, Mason county, Oct. 22,1902.  She preceded him in death.
   Mr. Crafton had lived in the Pekin area all of his life, farming from 1902 until 1925, when he went into the construction business.
He retired in 1931.
   Surviving Mr. Crafton are three daughters: Miss Lorena Crafton, Michigan City, Ind.; Mrs. Ruby Breeden, Barrington; Mrs. Nena Galianis,
Coral Gables, Fla.; two sons, James Crafton of Pekin and Wayne Crafton of Havana.  One daughter preceded him in death in 1920.
   Also surviving are five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, and a half-brother, James Flamben.  Four sisters and five brothers
preceded him in death.
   Funeral rites will be conducted by the Rev. T. S. Scott, pastor of the Faith Baptist church, at 10 a.m. Friday in the Preston Funeral Home.
   Futher services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Bethel Baptist church in Saidora, Ill., with the Rev. William Ray officiating.  Burial
will be in the Bethel Baptist church cemeteryly (cemetery) in Saidora.
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak
 

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Obituary of Woodrow T. Crafton
died: September 16, 1978
Pekin paper, September 1978
Woodrow Crafton, 65, Dies In Koch St. Crash
   An autopsy revealed no medical reason why Woodrow T. Crafton, 65, of  1319 N. Ninth street, should have lost control of his car in the 1100
thru 1300 blocks of Koch street at 12:12 p.m. Friday, resulting in a crash which claimed his life, according to Tazewell County Deputy
Coroner Phil Olt IV.  Cause of death was listed as chest injuries.
   Crafton was pronounced dead at the scene by Olt at 12:20 p.m.  Olt said Crafton was a diabetic, but added that may have had nothing to do
with the accident.    An inquest will be scheduled.
   Pekin police report Crafton was eastbound on Koch, traveling on the wrong side of the street.  His auto sideswiped two vehicles, whose
drivers had pulled over to the side of the street when they saw him coming.  Crafton's car then swerved back to the right side of the
street, left the roadway, swerved back to the wrong side of the street, and hit a parked car, which was knocked 45 feet into a light pole,
shearing it off, according to police.
   Authorities report drivers who pulled their cars over to the side of  the road were Candy L. Melloy, 24, of 1405 Ann Eliza, Pekin, and Janet
S. Jason, 27, of 1606 Koch street, Pekin.  They were not injured.
   The parked car which was hit is owned by Mary J. Smith of Rt. 1, Topeka.   Only minutes prior to the accident, a Wilson School crossing guard
had taken six children across the street, a witness reports.
   Funeral service for Mr. Crafton will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday in the Woolsey Funeral Home.
   Rev. George C. Desmond, associate pastor of First United Methodist Church, will officiate.  Burial will be in the Lakeside cemetery.
   Friends may call at Woolsey's from 6 until 8 p.m. Sunday.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the elks Cripples Children's Fund.
   Born at Pekin, Mar. 8, 1913, he was a son of William and Permelia Layer Crafton.  His marriage to Audrey F. Seward occurred at Grantsburg,
Wis., Aug. 18, 1957.
   Mr. Crafton had worked for CPC International for 41 years before he  retired in 1972.  He was a member of the Pekin Elks Lodge.
   Surviving are his wife; one son, William R. Crafton of youngstown, N. Y.; one stepson, Richard Shore of Pekin; One brother, Ray O. Crafton,
and two sisters, Mrs. Bert (Eva) Elliott and Mrs. Nelson (Carrie) Eschmeyer, all of Pekin; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
   He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, one son and two sisters.
 

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Obituary of Myrtle L. Schuetts Crafton
Pekin paper, January 2001
Myrtle Crafton
   Pekin - Myrtle L. Crafton, 89, of 700 E. Walnut, Bloomington, formerly of 812 S. Ninth St., Pekin, died at 6:55 a.m. Saturday, Jan 6,
2001, at Bro-Menn Regional Medical Center in Normal.
   Born Oct. 7, 1911, in Kewanee to Louis and Edna Kelssey Schuetts, she married Clarence O. "Smokey" Crafton
on Oct. 8, 1941, in Palmyra, Mo. He died June 20, 1982.
   She also was preceded in death by one brother and three sisters. 
Surviving are on daughter, Sandra Zielinski of Bloomington; five nieces; and one nephew.
   She and her husband owned and operated Crafton Yellow Checkered Cab Co. in Pekin for more than 50 years.
   She was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Pekin and its JOY women's Bible Group.
   Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Gelndale Memorial Gardens Chapel, where visitation will be 30 minutes before.  The Rev. Dwight
Borden will officiate.  Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens.
Preston-Hanley Funeral Home, Pekin Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
   Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60707-3392 or to BroMenn Foundation, 1302 .......
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak
 

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Obituary of Clarence "Smokey" O. Crafton
Pekin Times, Monday, June 21, 1982, page 14
C. Crafton, cab company owner 50 years, dies
   Clarence O. "Smokey" Crafton, 74, of 812 S. Ninth, died at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, June 20, 1982, at Proctor Hospital, Peoria, following a lengthy
illness.  He had been a patient since June 14.
   Born Sept. 2, 1907, in Browning, he was a son of Lilly May Crafton. He married Myrtle L. Schuetts Oct. 8, 1941, in Palmyra, Mo.
   He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Sandra Zielinski of Normal; a half brother, George Phillips of Pekin; and a half sister, Mrs. Dorothy
Strubhar of Pekin.
   He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Walter Phillips.    For 50 years he owned and operated Crafton Yellow Checkered Cab Co.
   He was a World War II U. S. Amy veteran and was a member of St. Pauls United Church of Christ, Pekin Masonic Lodge No. 29, Irin Grotto, Pekin
Consistory, Peoria Consistory, Mohammed Temple, American Legion Post 44 and Pekin AMVETS No. 235.
   Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Woolsey Funeral Home.  The Rev. Galen Russell will officiate.  Burial will be in
Glendale Memorial Gardens.    Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight with Masonic services at 8.
 Memorials may be made to the Shriners' Crippled Children's Hospital
or the Carillon Fund of the church.
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak
 

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Death of Robert Crafton
born: December 21, 1930, died: July 4, 1953
Pekin Daily Times, July 1953
Robert Crafton, 22, Killed In River Accident
   Havana - A hot July 4th picnic excursion ended in cold tragedy for a Pekin family Saturday afternoon in the tepid waters of the Illinois
River offshore of Havana.
   Robert Crafton, 22 year old sailor on leave, son of Mr. and Mrs.Woodrow Crafton, 226 Sapp street, Pekin, died when he was overrun by an
outboard motor boat operated by his father.
   The young sailor's body was not recovered for five hours.Crafton accompanied his parents and brother William to Havana for the outing.

Deep Laceration
   Around 1 p.m. (cst) Robert, William and their father were cruising the river in an outboard boat near midstream off the foot of Main street
when the sailor fell off the bow of the craft.  He was apparently run over by the propeller.  When found he had a deep laceration of the skull
around the left ear and of the shoulder.
   His father told Mason county coroner, Richard Hurley that he felt the propeller strike his son in the water.
   It was reported the sailor was standing in the bow of the craft, holding on to the painter. A sudden lurch of the boat apparently threw
him into the water.  It was reported the boat lurched when hit by a wave caused by one of two passing barges.
   Mr. Crafton said he stopped the boat immediately and dove futiley for his son.
   Help was summoned.  The emerancy crew of the Havana fire department, Fire Chief Alger Carpenter in charge, plus volunteer boatmen, dragged
the river for five hours.
   The body was recovered at ?:?? p.m. by fisherman Chester Huffman and two unidentified companions.  Caught along the bottom by a drag line,
the body was found an estimated 30 to 73 yards down-stream of the mishap.

   Body At Kuecks
   The body was brought to the Kuecks funeral home in Pekin where friends may call.
   The young sailor was born in Pekin Dec. 21, 1930, a son of Woodrow and Edith Neville Crafton.  His marriage to Georgina Leggett took place
in Pekin on Feb. 21, 1950 (?).
   Surviving are his parents, his widow, a year-old daughter, Sherry Lee; a brother, William Crafton and a sister, Miss Freda Crafton, all of Pekin.
   Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Kuecks Funeral home, with Dr. C. C. Nording, pastor of Grace Methodist church
officiating.  Burial will be in War Veteran's Memorial cemetery.
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak

 

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Obituary of Permelia Dolla Layer Crafton
died: October 13, 1948
Pekin paper, October 1948
Mrs. Crafton, 70, Dies; Funeral Will Be Saturday
   Following a long illness, Mrs. Permilia Crafton, 70, died at 8 (?) p.m. Wednesday at her residence, 1101 N. Second street.
The body was taken to the Kuecks Funeral home.
   Mrs. Crafton was born in Pekin on Mar. 6, 1878, a daughter of John and Sarah Wilcox Layer.  On Mar. 2, 1899, she and William Crafton were
married at Browning, Ill.
   Surviving are the husband and the following children: Mrs. Eva Elliott, Pekin; Mrs. Mabel Schmit, Peoria, and Mrs. Carrie Eschmeyer and
Ray and Woodrow Crafton, Pekin.
   Surviving also are three sisters, Mrs. Stella Markley, New Boston; Mrs. Lula Plice, Mountain View, Mo., and Mrs. Thelma Baham (?), Chicago;
two brothers, William and Lawrence Layer, Pekin; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
   Mrs. Crafton was a member of the Second Reformed church, the Home Class and the Woman's Relief corps.  She had lived here for the past 46 years.
   Services will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. from the Kuecks Funeral home.  The Rev. Jacob Boerman will officiate and burial will be in
Lakeside cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak
 

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Obituary of William Crafton
died: November 22, 1953
Pekin paper, November 1953
William Crafton, Retired Powerton Employe, dies
   William Crafton, 75, of 1001 N. Second street, died at 1:50 p.m.
Sunday at his home, following illness of two months.  He was the father of Deputy Sheriff Ray Crafton of Pekin.
   Mr. Crafton was born in Kilbourne, Ill., Dec. 2, 1877, a son of
Thomas and Nancy Jenkins Crafton.  He was married March 2, 1899 in Browning to Permelia Layer.  She died Oct. 14, 1948. 
On July 1, 1952, he was married to Revia Thomas in Pekin.
   Mr. Crafton was employed at Commonwealth Edison power plant for many years, retiring in 1943. 
He was an honorary member of the Powerton club and of the Eagles' Lodge.
   Surviving are his widow and the following children: Mrs. Eva Elliott, Ray and Woodrow Crafton and Mrs. Carrie Eschmeyer, all of Pekin;
and Mrs. Mable Schmidt, Bartonville. One brother, Edward Crafton, of Macomb, 12 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren also survive.
   One daughter, Mrs. Frieda Ford, three sisters and two brothers are deceased.
   Funeral rites will be conducted at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Kuecks Funeral home.  Rev. Joseph H. Albrecht, pastor of the First Methodist
church, will officiate.  Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery.  Friends may call at Kuecks.
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak
 

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Obituary of Lester F. Crafton
died: February 19, 1954
Pekin paper, February 19, 1954
Lester Crafton Dies Friday In Hospital
   Following an illness of a month's duration, Lester F. Crafton, 59, of  Pekin, an employe of Standard Brands Co., died at 6:40 a.m. today at
Pekin hospital and the body was taken to the Preston funeral home.
   Born in Mason county on March 30, 1894, he was the son of Lee R. and Molly {Moore} Crafton.  His marriage to Greta Black took place in
Beardstown, Ill., on April 29, 1926
   Surviving are his wife and the following four children: Mrs. William Graffis, Harold Crafton, Sharon Kay Crafton and Robert Eugene Crafton, all of Pekin.
   Also surviving are a half brother, Floyd Crafton and a half sister, Mrs. Lela Pendergraft and his step-mother, Mrs. Jessie {Gossage}
Crafton, all of Beardstown.  There is also on grandchild.
   He was a member of the Calvary Baptist church and services are to be held there Monday at 1:30 p.m. with the Rev. Hubert Entwisle
officiating.  Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens.
   Friends may call at the Preston funeral home Saturday and until 11 a.m. Monday when the body will be taken to the church to lie in state until time of service.

   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak
 

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Obituary of Greta Mae Black Crafton
Pekin paper, October 1982
Greta Crafton
   Greta Mae Crafton, 73, of Pekin, died at 2:20 p.m. Monday Oct. 11, 1982, in Pekin Memorial Hospital.
   She had been a patient there since Oct. 5.
   Born April 12, 1909, in Schuyler County, she was a daughter of John and Ruby Bridgewater Black. 
She married Lester F. Crafton April 29, 1926, at Beardstown.  He died Feb. 19, 1954.
   Surviving are a son, Harold L. of Pekin; two daughters, Mrs. George (Wilma) Harbaugh and Mrs. Leonard (Sharon) Abbott, both of Manito;
nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, John Black of Pekin; a sister, Mrs. Veda Guelker of Beardstown; and
two stepbrothers, Jiram Moore and Eugene Morroe, both of Pekin.
   In addition to her husband, Mrs. Crafton was preceded in death by a son, a brother and two great-grandchildren.
   She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church of Manito and was a member of its Lighthouse Missionary Society.
   Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thurday in Preston-Hanley Funeral Home, Pekin.  The Rev. Ralph Sauter will officate. 
Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens. Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
   Submitted by Donna: (Singleton) Yavorshak

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William Lee Crum
Peoria Journal Star, Friday, February 4, 2005
contributed by Sara Hemp

Former Pekin man dies after his car hits truck.

Pekin - A former Pekin man was killed Tuesday (01-Feb-2005) in a two vehicle crash in Missouri. William L. Crum, 73 of Gravous Mills, Missouri, was driving north on State Highway 5, about 30 miles west of Jefferson City, Missouri when his car crossed the center line about 3 p.m., and hit a truck, according to Missouri Highway Patrol reports. The driver of the truck Lester Brayman 48, of Lynchburg, Missouri was not injured. Crum was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. He was not wearing a seat belt.

William Crum
Pekin - Services for William Lee Crum 73, of 31143 Grandview Road, Gravous Mills, Missouri, formerly of Pekin, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, at Preston-Hanley Funeral Home, Pekin Chapel. The Reverend Gary Ford will officiate. Visitation will be 1 hour before the services at the funeral home. Burial will be in Lakeside cemetery, where honors will be conducted by the Pekin Fire Dept. Honor Guard. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 1, 2005 in rural Versailles, Missouri. He died in an automobile accident.

Born June 1, 1931, in Peoria to William Harrison and Louise Agnes Young Crum, he married Juanita Mae Ashby on April 2, 1954, in Pekin. Surviving are two sons, Mark of Orlando, Fla., and Scott (June) of, Gainsville, Fla.; one daughter, Vicki Crum of Peoria; one brother, Richard "Dick" and Joan of Pekin; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother. A Korean War Army veteran, he was a member of the American Legion. He worked at Caterpillar Inc. in East Peoria for 10 years. He later worked for the Pekin Fire Dept. for 20 years, retiring as Captain on August 29, 1981. He was a member of the Pekin Fire Fighter Retiree's Club and former member of the International Association of Fire Fighter's Local 524. He also was a former member of Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 916. Memorials maybe made to the Safe Escape House Fund of Pekin Fire Department.

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