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Crawshaw Funeral Home commemorating
75 years in business in 2006
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In 2006 Crawshaw Funeral Home 1421 Walnut
Street Murphysboro, IL. commemorated 75 years of service. This anniversary
coincides with the 3rd generation ownership of Crawshaw Funeral Home by
Howard Crawshaw, Grandson of the founder. Howard is a successor not only
to his Grandfather, but also to his father, Gene Crawshaw who retired in
1993 and his uncle, Bill Crawshaw, who retired in 2005. Howard is a 1982
graduate of the S.I.U.C. Dept. of Mortuary Science and Funeral Service and
has worked with his father and uncle since high school. Kevin Beavers of
Murphysboro is Crawshaw Funeral Home's one other full time Licensed
Funeral Director and Embalmer. Kevin is a 2005 graduate of the S.I.U.C.
Dept. of Mortuary Science and Funeral Service. Alex Crawshaw, following in
his fathers' footsteps, is the 4th generation Crawshaw and is a senior at
Murphysboro High School. He is employed on a part time basis washing cars,
caring for the landscaping, and assisting with funeral services. A brief
history of Crawshaw Funeral Home. Crawshaw Funeral Home was founded in
1931 by Raymond A. "Ray" Crawshaw, 1903-1986, and his wife Lettie May
(McCarter) Crawshaw 1906-1990. They purchased the former Cecil R. Runells
Funeral Home located at 1421 Walnut Street where Crawshaw Funeral Home is
presently located. At that time the funeral home was a 2-story brick house
with a large bay window on the north-east corner, the funeral home
occupied the first floor and basement, the second floor was converted to
an apartment where the Crawshaw's lived. In 1948 the first of 3 additions
to the original 2-story brick home was completed, this addition was to the
east and south side of the building, which consisted of a chapel for
visitation's and funerals with a pulpit and organ, a casket selection room
and a restroom on the ground level, a larger basement with a four-car
garage located on the basement level, and additional bedrooms and living
space to the second floor apartment. For many years the First Presbyterian
Church was located next door to the west of the funeral home, the old soft
red brick church was in a state of decline and could not be saved, the
Presbyterians had built a new church building. The old church was vacated
in 1963 and purchased by Crawshaw Funeral home and raised to make room for
a parking lot. In 1968 the second addition was completed, this addition
was to the west side of the original funeral home building, and consisted
of a second chapel/ visitation room women's and men's restrooms, another
four-car garage with an apartment above this garage and a storage
warehouse. The third and final addition was in 1973 this addition was to
the front (north) side of the building and consisted of a new improved
main entrance that is handicapped accessible, conference, and business
offices.
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Photo of the original building circa 1920
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Photo of the funeral home circa 1935
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