Helen LaVonne Crawford

Helen LaVonne Crawford, 80, passed away on Friday, February 3, 2023. She was born on February 4, 1942 in Wewoka, Oklahoma to Virgil and Ida Alice (Chasteen) Mantooth. Helen graduated from Poteau High School with the class of 1960. She married the love of her life, Tommy Joe Crawford, on May 7, 1982 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. They shared many years of life, marriage and family together. Helen worked in the banking industry as a personnel director until her retirement in 1987. She then went to cosmetology school and owned her own beauty salon, Shear Elegance, in McAlester for approximately 10 years. Not being ready to retire, She worked part time in the purchasing department at CP Kelco until her retirement in 2015. Helen loved to bowl and went on many trips with her team to tournaments. She loved going fishing. She and Tom, with the help of her brother Loyal, built a house on lake Eufaula, so they could spend every free minute fishing and lived there 15 years before moving back to Muskogee. She also loved sewing and quilting and had the most beautiful stitch. She enjoyed crocheting and made several afghans for her family and friends. Helen was an avid fan of basketball, football, and golf and could quote every golfer, quarterback, and pitcher’s name. She enjoyed traveling, and working in the woods with her daughter, Marsha and son-in-law, Wade. Helen also enjoyed waterskiing and snow skiing and blamed the slopes of winter parks for her bad knee. She loved her family very much and enjoyed spending time with them. Helen will be missed by everyone who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Alice Mantooth; her husband, Tommy Joe Crawford; brothers, Roy, Charles, (Twin Brother) Harold, Loyal, Richard, and Virgil (Junior); and sister, Hazel Spears. Helen is survived by her daughters, Debra Wakeley Epps of Muskogee, OK, Marsha Wakeley Cearley and husband Wade of Fort Gibson, OK, and Tammy Crawford Weatherly and significant other Ricky of Lawton, OK; son, Todd Crawford and wife Shelly of St. Louis, MO; granddaughters, Amanda Harrel and husband Cody, Alyssa Main and husband Bradley and Aubrey Weatherly all of Lawton, OK; grandson, Chris Cearley of Tulsa, OK; sisters-in-law, Marcella Mantooth of Horntown, Donna Mantooth of California, Barbara Crawford of OKC, OK, and Mary Mars of Holdenville, OK; numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends who she loved very much. A celebration of Helen’s life will be 1PM, Thursday, February 9, 2023 at Lamar Cemetery with Pastor Kelly Payne officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Frankie Spears, Bud Edge and Kelly Mantooth.

Helen LaVonne Crawford

February 4, 1942 - February 3, 2023