Obituary of James Lee Crawley, Sr.

James “Sonny” Lee Crawley, Sr., 93, of Niles, formerly of Dowagiac, passed away peacefully on September 18, 2018, after a brief illness at Woodland Terrace Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility in Niles, Michigan. 

James was born on January 2, 1925, in Lewisburg, Tennessee, to the late Walter and Lucille (Brown) Crawley. 

James moved with his family to Dowagiac, Michigan in 1949, where he drove a truck for many years for Midwest Emery Freight in Chicago.  In 1969, he bought Faulk’s Disposal Service and renamed it Crawley's Disposal Service.  The business was later renamed Solid Waste Disposal, and James operated it as a successful family business until he retired. 

After his retirement, James married Ruth Anderson in 1992, after she passed he maintained a relationship with Ruth’s children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Lucille Crawley; wife, Ruth Anderson; brother William N. (Larnett) Crawley Sr.; James and his brother Bill were both raised by “Mama” Lizzie and “Papa” Andrew Brown; son, Lewis Crawley; grandson, Steven Crawley; and nephew, William “Bill” Crawley, Jr.;

James is survived by his children, James Jr. (Mary L.) , Patricia (Robert Gonder), and Theresa (Robert Davis); daughter-in-law, Carol; grandchildren, James Crawley III, Michael Davis, David Gonder (Mya), Taryn Davis Boykin (Christopher), Dionne Gonder-Stanley (Robin Jr.), Andrew Crawley, and Timothy Crawley; eight great-grandchildren, Kyle and Quincy Stanley, Aron and Evan Boykin, and Ethan, Jordan, Justin, and Makenzie Gonder; one niece, Linette Crawley Harrison; and nephews, Earl Crawley, and Stanley Crawley.  James will also be remembered by many friends and family in the Dowagiac, Michigan area as well as in Detroit, Michigan, and Lewisburg and Nashville, Tennessee.

A funeral service to honor James’ life will be held on Monday, September 24, 2018, at Mission Hills Memorial Chapel at 11:00 a.m. with a time of visitation one hour prior. 

Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in James’ memory may do so to Hospice at Home (Caring Circle) located at 4025 Health Park Lane, St. Joseph, MI 49085.

Condolences, photos, and memories may be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home, Niles.