Lester Lee Crawford

Lester Lee Crawford, Jr passed quietly at Casper Hospice on March 29, 2024. Born to Lester Sr and Viola Crawford and raised in northern Oklahoma on various oil field leases. A graduate of Blackwell High School, he was awarded All State Football Honors. After graduation he married his high school sweetheart, Nelda Jean Henry, in August 1952.  Together they moved to Norman, Oklahoma to attend the University of Oklahoma (OU).  He studied petroleum engineering while having two of his three sons, Lester Gene and Dennis Euel.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1957 courtesy of Shell Oil and Air Force ROTC.

Les spent three years in the Air Force as a meteorologist in Wichita, Kansas, and was later transferred to Glendive, Montana by Shell Oil after having his third son, Gordon Dean, in Odessa Texas.  During an oil field bust in the early 1960s, he was laid off by Shell, and he worked in Billings Montana, as a gas attendant and for NYLIC. Later, he became a field engineer for the Gates Rubber Company out of Denver, Colorado.  

He and his partner from Billings, Dave Brown, purchased McFarland Specialty in Casper in 1970. He later created Hose & Rubber Supply on the sand bar area of Casper in 1976. He bought a Cessna 182RG, tail #9967C, in 1978 and flew to Texas and Oklahoma for business and to visit his aging parents.  

After retiring from Hose & Rubber Supply in 2001, he became an active member in Rotary Club and served on the Natrona County Airport Board.  He kept flying and travelling.

Les was preceded in death by father Lester Lee Sr, his mother Viola, his sister Margaret Adams, his wife MaryLee, Caroline (Barrick) Chestnut of Destin FL, and daughter-in-law Donna Crawford of Glenrock WY.  He is survived by his three sons, Lester Gene (Robyn) of Fort Collins CO, Dennis Euel (Virginia) of Casper WY, and Gordon Dean of Ten Sleep WY, niece Rhonda Buesing (John) of Blackwell OK, and honorary daughter Diane Rajani of Senoia GA. Grandchildren include Tiffine Canepa of Casper WY, Dennis Justin (Amy) of Casper WY, Gordon Daniel (Britta) of Casper WY, Hillary Reichwald of Worland WY, Jason Bell of Casper WY, Amy Victoria of Los Angeles CA, and Sara of Los Angeles CA and Preston Scott (Ashley) of Burbank IL. Great Grandchildren include Cody of Laramie, Jack, Samantha, Evie, Lucas, Declan, all of Casper, Gus of Worland, and Sara Baratin from Italy.

Cremation has taken place. Flowers and donations can be sent to Primrose Retirement Community of Casper WY.   If a memorial is planned, it will be published.