Thomas Crawley

SALE CREEK — Thomas Aaron Crawley, 90, of Sale Creek, TN, passed away peacefully early Saturday morning, August 10, 2019. He was a member of Dayton First Baptist Church. Tom was the son of Drewia A. & Nola Jordan Crawley of Sale Creek. He was born on November 12, 1928 on his family’s dairy and peach farm, and took to farming early in life. At age sixteen, already president of the local 4H Club For Boys, Tom was chosen to represent Hamilton County at the National 4H Club Congress in Chicago. In 1953, he began work as a wildlife agent for the Tennessee Game & Fish Commission (TWRA) in Grundy County. He was transferred to Bradley County and later to Nashville where he served as Lieutenant, covering a ten county area. Months later, he returned to Bradley County as District Captain & Area Supervisor. In 1967, Tom was named Tennessee Wildlife Officer of the Year at the Southeastern Wildlife Conference in New Orleans. After his retirement in 1986, he returned to the family farm, establishing a ten acre peach orchard, managing and maintaining more than one thousand peach trees in addition to an abundant tomato crop. In 1997, Tom was inducted into the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity as a Renaissance Man in the TN Eta chapter. Tom would later be recognized with inductions into The Hamilton County and Bradley County Agricultural Halls of Fame. In April of 2019, the Tennessee State Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Senator Bo Watson and signed by Governor Bill Lee honoring Tom for his extensive lifetime achievements in agriculture. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Drewia A. & Nola Jordan Crawley of Sale Creek, two brothers, Orval A. Crawley of Charleston,TN & Albert B. Crawley of Knoxville, wife Virginia Lane Crawley, and son Thomas (Tommy) E. Crawley. He leaves his legacy to his survivors, daughter Judy Crawley Robinson of Cleveland, granddaughter Kris Crawley Cobb (Kevin) of Sale Creek, grandsons Lane E. Crawley (Kathleen) of Murfreesboro & Aaron M. Robinson (Ashley) of Old Hickory, TN, as well as beloved great-grandchildren Kully & Kolt Cobb of Sale Creek, Sean, Derrick & Corey Crawley of Murfreesboro, and Finlay Robinson of Old Hickory. He was so very loved by many and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Funeral services for Tom will be held Saturday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Milton Knox officiating. He will be laid to rest in Rhea Memory Gardens in Dayton. Please share your memories of Tom on his online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.co The family is being cared for by the Vanderwall Funeral Home where they will receive friends Saturday after 2:00 p.m.