Seventh Generation

37. Joanne Beatrice GAMERDINGER was born on 24 December 1933 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,15,17

Joanne Beatrice GAMERDINGER and Frederick Myron "Fred" CRAWFORD Jr. were married on 5 September 1953 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^17,22 Frederick Myron "Fred" CRAWFORD Jr., son of Frederick Byron "Freddy" CRAWFORD and Anna Melissa UMBACH, was born on 9 September 1931 in Shennington, Byron Township, Monroe County, WI.^15,22,35 He died on 9 August 2011 at the age of 79 in Sparta, Sparta Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁵

Obituary Notes: "A well-known businessman, Frederick (Fred) Crawford, was called to his savior’s side on Aug. 9, 2011, at his home in Sparta.

Fred and his wife, Joan, were the owners for 43 years of American Scrap Iron & Metal Co., later changed to American Scrap Iron & Auto Recyclers Inc., when their son Bryon joined them. In 1999 the salvage yard closed due to strict APA and DNR restrictions.

In 2003, Fred and his wife Joan bought the Rasmussen building, which is now Crawfords New and Used LLC (Furniture, Antiques, and Collectibles). Their son, Bryon, owns the business, but Fred and Joan worked there daily.

Fred was born on Sept. 9, 1931, in Shennington, son of Fred and Anna (Umback) Crawford. He was the youngest of 11 children. He completed his 8th-grade education, and then he was needed at the family farm.

Fred served in the Navy in the Korean War as an electrician and was stationed on the USS Block Island Carrier Ship.

Fred married Joan (Gamerdinger) in Tomah on Sept. 5, 1953. They lived in Norfolk, Va, then moved to Green Clove Spring, Fla., where their daughter, Sherry Ann, was born. After serving four years in the Navy, Fred ran a service station in Florida near the naval base. In 1957 they moved back to Tomah.

He worked for Taft & Conway as a mechanic for eight years. Fred and Joan owned an apartment house on Woodard Avenue in Tomah. They had a son, Bryon, in 1958.

In 1964, Fred and his wife, Joan, bought the Frank Sanders junkyard in Sparta, renaming it to American Scrap Iron & Metal Co. In 1967, due to the Lyndon B. Johnson Beautification Act, they relocated their business to the Ralph Mantzke turkey farm on Highway 71 where it remained until 1999. Fred, Joan, and their son, Bryon, enhanced the business that sold parts nationwide from their stock of 3,500 vehicles.

Fred and Joan enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. and abroad, including Alaska, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean and Hawaii. They wintered as “snow birds” in Marana, Ariz., for 14 years, which they dearly loved and missed. They enjoyed their 50th anniversary with an Alaskan cruise.

Fred was a faithful and active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, serving on the church council and also as the financial secretary and snowplowing for the church for many years.

Fred was a cancer survivor for 33 years and was the first person to have a stent placed on the aortic artery at Gundersen Lutheran.

Fred enjoyed working, cutting wood, hunting (especially the trophy elk he got in Rifle, Colo.), fishing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada, playing cards, playing horseshoes and in tournaments and spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, especially at the fish pond that he dug.

Fred was a devoted husband and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Joan; daughter SherryAnn (George) Villarreal; son Bryon (Faith) Crawford; grandsons George (Josie) Villarreal and Tyson Villarreal (girlfriend Alyssa); great-granddaughters Clara and Lizabeth Villarreal; sister Irene Blomberg of Port Angeles, Wash.; nephew Wayne Duncan, who was like a brother so dear to him; niece Yvonne Dunaway, who was very close to him; nieces; nephews; and lots of friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his four brothers, Alex, Roland, Bernard and Bill Crawford; his five sisters, Violet Gusten, Mona Parkhurst, Eula DeLap, Margaret Mikalyczyk and Birdie McCall.

The family would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to doctors and nurses, palliative care and hospice of Gundersen Lutheran, and his favorite Dr Wayne Bottner, who took care of him for 32 years, for the compassionate care Fred received for his illness over the years.

A funeral service will be held Friday, Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sparta, with the Reverend Mark Wessel officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by VFW Post 2112 will be in the church cemetery.

Family and friends are invited to call at the church on Thursday (today) from 5-8 p.m. and on Friday at the church from 1 p.m. until time of services. In lieu of flowers, Fred requested donations be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sparta, and Gundersen Lutheran Cancer and Hospice Center. Online condolences may be offered atwww.lanham-miller.com

The Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:7-8"

Joanne Beatrice GAMERDINGER and Frederick Myron "Fred" CRAWFORD Jr. had the following children: