Extracted from The Enterprise-Journal (McComb, MS)
Monday, March 4, 1957

Benton Crawford, McComb Business Leader, Mourned

Funeral services for Benton Earl Crawford, one of McComb's best known business men, were set for 4 p.m. Monday from First Baptist Church, with Dr. Wyatt H. Hunter, pastor, conducting.

Mr. Crawford, who was associated for many years with his father, W. P. Crawford, in operation of the Crawford Plumbing & Butane Gas Co. and had headed the firm since the older Mr. Crawford retired several years, including a recent period of extensive expansion, died at 12:45 p.m. Sunday in a New Orleans hospital after a few days of illness.

Mr. Crawford suffered a stroke on his way to his plant early Friday morning, Feb. 22, and had been critically ill since that time. He was sped to New Orleans for the treatment of specialists shortly after being stricken, but his condition grew steadily worse despite all that could be done.

Adding to the tragedy of the young business man's passing was the fact that his aging father, who spent the first few days at his son's bedside in New Orleans, himself suffered an attack of illness after his return to McComb and has since been in critical condition in a hospital in Brookhaven, where another son, Joe Crawford is a physician. The father is reported as “holding his own” but still seriously ill.

Mr. Crawford was born in 1909 and had lived all his life in the city.

Serving as pallbearers at rites on Monday afternoon were Messrs. Gordon Roach, Zeb Reeves Jr., Carey Roberts, Wood Guyton, Charles Day and J. O. Lenoir.

He leaves his wife, Mrs. Bobbie Case Crawford; two daughters, Mrs. William L. Sterling, Tallahassee, Fla., and Mrs. R. H. Darville Jr., McComb; a son, Benton Crawford, Jr., in dental school in Dallas, Tex.; two brothers, Paul Crawford, McComb, and Dr. J. P. Crawford, Brookhaven; his father, W. P. Crawford, McComb, and three grandchildren.

Burial was in Hollywood Cemetery with Catchings Funeral Home in charge of services.