"Kenneth Crawford and his wife Roberta settled in Rochester in 1942, when he began a long association with the Ingmire and Nagle Funeral Home, which he served six years as licensed manager. During this period, he entered into a lifetime of civic activity.  He became a member of the Rochester Jaycees, the Rochester Kiwanis, and the Rochester Opportune Club, a director of the Rochester Ad Club, and a vestryman of the Church of the Ascension."

"The time came for Kenneth Crawford to enter into business for himself. In April 1957, he established the R. Kenneth Crawford Funeral Home at 495 N. Winton Road, a spacious frame residence in a park-like setting which for thirty-six years had been the private home of the George Otto family in the highly respected Browncroft section of the city. The firm was incorporated as the Crawford Funeral Home Inc. in 1975, one year after David P. Crawford joined his father in business."

"David Crawford is a graduate of the Indianapolis College of Mortuary Science in Indianapolis, where he was associated with Flanner and Buchanan Mortuaries. Previously he had earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University. He served almost a decade in the US Army, with the Army Security Agency, Signal Corps, & Adjutant General's Corps, in Korea, Italy and Vietnam, as well as the United States."

The Crawford's have evolved a philosophy about their business which they express in this fashion:
"The funeral service is a rite which indicates that a person is important to us and that we are diminished by their passing. Today, our rapidly changing society has produced such diversity in the needs and desires of different generations that a high flexibility in attitudes and methodology is mandatory. We are constantly striving to keep pace with the diversity of needs, while preserving the same desire to serve that give Funeral Service its special meaning"

"The approach may be new, but the need for service is ages old.."              

David assumed ownership of the funeral home in 1986. Since David joined the firm and became involved in many community activities, the business has grown considerably and the Crawford name has become synonmous with Excellence in all we do, for our community and the families we serve.
His father, R. Kenneth died in June, 1994, and mother, Roberta Crawford, died in April 2002 after a brief illness.

Portions of this section contain excepts from Partners in Progress, Profiles of Rochester's Leading Businesses by Howard C. Hosmer from the book A PANORAMIC HISTORY OR ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY by Blake McKelvey