OBITUARY Dennis Cannon Crawford July 10, 1937 – September 19, 2018 Dennis C Crawford, owner and partner in numerous insurance agencies for over five decades, died on September 19, 2018, at age 81, after suffering a stroke in late August. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Madeleine Moreau Crawford, his three children Lesley Hays Crawford Costner, Mark Leland Crawford (Kimberley), and Keith Loftin Crawford (Elizabeth), and by 3 grandchildren Leland, Evan, and Edmund. Preceded in death by his parents Murray Loftin Crawford and Virginia Cannon Crawford, and by his sister, Marilyn Crawford Stateham.
Born in St. Louis, MO, the Crawford family moved to New Orleans in 1946 and never left. Dennis attended St. Martin’s Episcopal School before graduating from Georgia Military Academy in College Park, GA in 1957. He attended Louisiana State University, and ultimately earned the Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, PA.
Dennis had a lifelong love of music, and was a founding member of the folk music group The Dauphin Trio in 1961, which toured nationally and recorded multiple albums for Decca Records. In 1963, he entered the Life Insurance business as a sales trainee for American Tidelands Life insurance Company, and successfully worked in this industry for the next 55 years. He founded the Crawford Agency in 1972, an independent insurance agency, and was soon recognized as a qualifying and life member of the Million Dollar Round Table, a distinction he maintained for the next 35 years.
That agency merged into First Financial Res in 1998. Dennis constantly worked to make New Orleans a better place. He served on the boards of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, the Southeast Louisiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Boy’s Club of New Orleans, where he served as Board Chair.
He also served on the Parish Council of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Church, including a term as Parish Council President; the Serra Club; the board of the Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans; the Spirituality Center, including a term as President, and on the board of Christian Health Ministries, also serving as board chair. In 2012, he was appointed Commissioner of the Louisiana International Deep Water Gulf Transfer Terminal Authority (LIGTT) by Gov. Bobby Jindal.
He loved his community and his friends, and reveled in New Orleans culture. He had been a member of the Pickwick Club, the Southern Yacht Club, and several carnival organizations. He and Madeleine still went to hear live music weekly, and he was a fixture at the Economy Hall Tent at Jazz Fest.
Dennis was a true New Orleanian and a gentleman, who never met a stranger, never missed a party, and was always there for friends and family. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church at 3368 Esplanade Ave. on Saturday, Sept 22, 2018.
Visitation will begin at 10:00am with a Funeral Mass to follow at 12:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Manresa House of Retreats, where Dennis was an annual participant for over 25 years.
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