Dan Paul Crawford, 66, of Dallas, Texas, died peacefully on Sept. 11, 2022. After his cancer diagnosis, he embodied love, wit and tenacity, employing the ‘’warrior Crawford spirit’’ to guide him.
Dan was born in Wellington, Texas on Feb. 8, 1956, to Billie Moates Crawford and C.A Crawford. He attended schools in Wellington through junior high, continuing in Amarillo, Texas, before graduating from Panhandle High School in 1974.
He then attended North Texas University, where he pursued his passion of understanding the human condition, majoring in Behavioral Psychology with a minor in French.
After finishing his studies, he met Dale in 1981, and they were together in marriage for 30 years and in supportive companionship and care until the end. In his 30-year professional career, he worked as an applications programmer and systems architect, most recently for ACS/Xerox, employing his unique ability to think curiously about the digital and analog.
Always embracing his passion for art and nature, Dan was an avid camper, photographer and historical documentarian, noticing the unique and beautiful details in people and objects that only he could.
Dan collected cameras and traveled around the U.S., often to the Big Bend area, where he took beautiful photos of landscapes and bridges, developed them himself, and in his generous spirit, gifted them to his friends and family. Dan’s arrival at the holidays and family events was always met with anticipation, and though usually (very) late, he was never empty-handed,and the gifts he bestowed upon his family were as unique and eclectic as he was.
Dan had a unique ability to listen deeply, understand situations and people - never one to judge - but always to offer an open mind and perspective. He was the epitome of cool, introducing younger family members to his love of music and unknown artists and serving as a role model for them to be their true selves.
In recent years, retirement allowed Dan’s creativity to flourish through his many hobbies, and even through his diagnosis, he maintained his zest for life and passion for new ideas and projects. It was his incredible mind and quiet strength that enabled him to remain cognizant and beautifully connected to this family to the very end.
Dan is survived by two sisters, Judy Cudd and husband Dennis Cudd, of Wellington; Peggie Vaughn and husband Ronnie Vaughn, of Midland, Texas; three nephews, Dennis Cudd II and family, of Raleigh, N.C.; Douglas Cudd and family, of Manvel, Texas; Anthony Vaughn and husband, of London, England; aunt Sue Crawford Raburn, of Amarillo, Texas; two cousins,Tom Raburn and wife, of Amarillo; Janice Raburn and husband, of Darnestown, Md.; former wife, Dale, of Irving, Texas; and two cats, Phoebe and Cooper.
Dan was loved by and a friend to many.To know him was to love him.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Big Bend Conservancy: https://bigbendconservancy. org/ or The Giving Lens: https://thegivinglens.com/.
