Andrea Crawford, beloved Mother and Grandmother, passed away peacefully in the arms of her daughter Dee, on January 19th, 2018 at the age of 89 years.
Her thoughtful, elegant, artistic spirit will be greatly missed by her daughters, Dee (Gordon) Wagner and Laur Crawford (Rick Stieben); her cherished granddaughter, Caitlyn Wagner; her sister, Aileen Burness; and her many nieces, nephews and friends.
Andrea was predeceased by her father Hilbert Jorgenson (born in Norway 1890; died in Edmonton 1932) and her mother Lorina McConvey Jorgenson (born in Vancouver, 1894; died in Edmonton, 1932), and even though her time with them was brief, she kept their loving memory alive throughout her life. She was also predeceased by her husband, Charles Hyslop Crawford, born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1919 and died in Powell River, BC in 1996.
Orphaned in the Great Depression, she suffered many hardships but persevered with grace and beauty and was fiercely independent. Her honesty and integrity were an inspiration, her wisdom was invaluable and her sense of humour was a joy.
Andrea had a marvelous, adventurous soul and loved travel, particularly road trips where she could drive and experience the full vista of nature before her. She documented every place and event in photos with her ever-present camera and this was her love letter to the people and places she treasured.
As a young woman she was very involved in amateur theatre on the west coast on stage and radio. She excelled at everything that interested her: fly fishing, tennis, sailing and golf in her younger years, and sewing, cooking and gardening as a stay at home Mother. When she went back to work, she had a successful career as a legal secretary for Suncor in Calgary, and during that time enjoyed the Opera and the Calgary Philharmonic with her best friend, Dorothy Hawley.
But what she was most proud of was being a Mum – she was thrilled to have a family of her own to express all the love and devotion she had longed for since her childhood, and we were blessed to always be her priority.
Andrea continued her love of reading philosophy, history and politics and her life-long passion for learning, and in her final days she could be seen wearing her headphones, listening to The Great Courses ‘The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works’ and jotting down quotations and scripture. She gained tremendous comfort from her favourite 23rd Psalm: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me’…
Dr. Monty said she endured her final years of pain and infirmity without complaint and with her characteristic courage and dignity. A very heartfelt thank you to Dr. Nunweiler, Dr. Monty and all the wonderful staff at Riverview Care Centre for their exemplary care.

A Poem written by Andrea’s daughter Laur Crawford

If the sun does blind you
And no more does the rain glisten on the grey
I will float
over the road on the hill
to the cottage
By that lane I will hover
Feeling a picture you’ve given me

And when I pass through
the hawk shaped opening
of the clouds
I won’t remember the cliffs by the courses with you
But I will feel you missing
And drift on a flowing line
of birds to you
for your eyes are bright.

A Private Family Graveside Service for Andrea will be held in Edmonton at a later date. Cards of condolence may be sent to Caitlyn or Dee Wagner at 1803 – 20 Ave. S.E. Medicine Hat, T1A 3X6, and condolences may be sent through www.saamis.com or to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Andrea Crawford.

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