DALTON, Mass. — Isaac “Ike” Crawford Jr. of Dalton passed away at Berkshire Medical Center on August 27, 2017. 

He was born June 25, 1924, in Normal, Ill., to Martha Jane Wright Crawford and Isaac Crawford, Sr. He was the second of seven children, survived by brothers Jerry and Charles and sisters Ruth and Marie, and he was preceded to heaven by his brother Peter and sister Pearl. 

Ike received his BA degree from Tuskegee Institute (now University) and Masters from North Adams State College (now Mass College of Liberal Arts). He married Rosemary Persip in 1947 and recently celebrated 70 years of marriage on August 24.

Having started college at the age of 15, he was in ROTC and finished top of his class and thus volunteered for the U.S. Army; however, he was drafted into the U.S. Navy as ships cook, and served in the South Pacific during World War II.

With a lifelong belief in continued involvement and activity he led a very active and engaged life professionally and personally. Professional work experience in the culinary field included Williams College, Pittsfield Country Club, Music Inn and Executive Chef at the Log Cabin in Lenox. Making a career change, he was proud of having taught at every educational level: substitute teacher a Wahconah Regional High School, Teacher at Cheshire Elementary School, and Culinary Instructor at Charles H. McCann Technical High School, retiring as Department Chair after 21 years in 1989. He also taught at Berkshire Community College as well as taught summer sessions at the Prison in Florida, Mass. 

Extremely active in civic, personal and voluntary pursuits, Ike was a member of the American Culinary Federation, Treasurer, Vice President and Board Member for CHRIE; Master Gardener, Council of Christians and Jews, Active with First Baptist Church for over 50 years, serving on several committees, Deacon, Moderator, choir member and frequent soloist, President TABCOM; Moderator Berkshire Baptist Association; Life Member Wahconah Country Club, Dilly Boys Golf and Bowling; Board Member Dalton Community Cable; Pilot and Member of the Berkshire Flying Club; and together with his wife was 2008 RSVP Volunteer of the Year.

Ike also did weekly readings for Recording for the Blind; Volunteer at the Silvio Conte National Archives; served on the Pittsfield Code Enforcement Commission, produced a local cable show “Ike’s Forum”; performed in several plays as member of the Berkshire Lyric Theater; and built his own home and two car garage in 1969 making news as one of the first western cedar Log cabins in the area.

He was a long-standing blood donor; ran his own catering business; Authored a book, “Beating the Odds: A Story of Survival”; and was named to Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide in 2014.

He leaves his wife, Rosemary Persip Crawford, to whom he was married for 70 years as of August 24; two children, Rosemary and Isaac Allen; four grandchildren, Eric, Richard, Vanessa and Jillion; five great-grandchildren, Joshua, Ashlee, Monet, Malia, Isaac; and four great-great grandchildren, Nyara, Naseem, Mattilyn, Marleigh. 

Funeral notice: A Celebration of Life for Isaac “Ike” Crawford Jr., who died August 27, 2017, will be held Thursday, August 31, 2017, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 88 South Street, Pittsfield, celebrated by the Rev. Shelia Sholes-Ross and Rev. Dr. Robert M. Rennie. 

Calling hours will precede the service from 10 to 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist’s Cupola Restoration Fund or the Memorial Historical Committee in care of Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield.