By Jeanne Sager
WHITE LAKE — December 28, 2001 – Those who knew him have said he was kind, he was honest and he was someone who cared about other people.
All in all, it seems Donald Crawford, 84, was the kind of man most would like to be remembered as.
Crawford, a White Lake resident, died Saturday after a long illness, leaving behind his wife of 63 years, Mary; a son, John, and his wife Angela; a daughter, Patricia Taylor, and husband Walter; and a village that remembers him well.
The former National Union Bank president and chairman of the bank’s board of directors, Crawford was a vibrant part of Monticello’s business and political world.
He served as president of the Sullivan County Bankers Association, chairman of the Group-VI New York State Bankers Association and treasurer and administrative board member of the New York State Bankers Association.
“He was an outstanding banker for National Union for many, many years,” noted friend Ruby Katz who served as a director on the board under Crawford’s chairmanship and grew up across the street from Crawford’s home in Glen Wild. “He was exceptionally honest, and he was devoted to his job at the bank.”
Crawford spent 42 years at the bank before his retirement in 1979 when National Union Bank merged with Chester National Bank, forming Key Bank. But his dedication to the financial world in the county didn’t stop there.
He joined the board of directors of Key Bank of Southeastern New York after his retirement to remain involved in the fiscal world.
Crawford also devoted much of his time to serving his community — as a member of the first Monticello Village Planning Board, a life member of the Monticello Fire Department and Monticello Elks Lodge, a past member of the Monticello Rotary Club and a volunteer for a number of charitable organizations, including the American Heart Association, Boy Scouts and American Red Cross.
“He was someone who was concerned about people,” noted David Kaufman, a former Town of Thompson supervisor who worked closely with Crawford and knew him for more than 50 years. “He was concerned about this community, and he tried to do things to help the community.”
Overall, Crawford is remembered as a man who had respect for his fellow man and a gentlemanly way of doing business.
“He was a kind, loving person,” noted Crawford’s son, John. “He never had a bad thing to say about anyone.”
“He was most respectful of people who came to the bank,” Kaufman added. “He was highly respected in the community, and he was always a gentleman with a smile on his face.
“He will be missed by everyone.”