Mr. Loyd E. Crabtree's Obituary
Celebrating the life of Loyd E. Crabtree
(June 8, 1919 – March 7, 2016)
Loyd was born on June 8, 1919, in Springfield, Ohio, to parents Effie Blosser Crabtree and Daniel Webster Crabtree. He was the 4th of 5 children. His siblings were Everett Crabtree, Verlie Miller, Gladys Smoot, and Amy Cogswell.
Loyd E. Crabtree is survived by his wife of 76 years, Vergie Crabtree, his daughter Janice Settlemyre and her husband Thomas Settlemyre, his daughter Miriam Barber, grandchildren Karla Ferguson and her husband Jim Ferguson, Kevin Settlemyre and his wife Suzzana Settlemyre, Sidney Barber and his wife Kimberly Barber, Bradley Barber and his wife Diane Barber, and four great-grandchildren Franklin Barber, Rhianna Barber, Noah Barber, and Lucia Settlemyre.
Loyd attended Warner Pacific Bible College – Portland, OR, and continued higher education over the years at multi universities. Before and during his early college days he was a builder and carpenter. He accepted his call to be a Pastor, and was especially drawn to new church planting and church growth. After retiring from being Pastor of churches, Loyd and Vergie moved to Houston where he worked at Hermann Hospital’s infrastructure as head of the Carpenter Shop. At Dr. Red Duke’s request, he drafted the plans for the first Life Flight helicopter pad. He continued to mentor and care for others at work, in his neighborhood, and at church where he taught a Senior Adult Sunday School class for many years and visited folks experiencing crisis, illness, and the elderly. All family members, pastors, and others with needs were remembered daily in prayer.
I imagine Loyd and his family would consider the most important events and interests during his life to be: his marriage of 76 years to Vergie, the births and parenting of his daughters, having a great son-in-law also a retired Pastor, special unique relationships with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, experiences being a Pastor and seeing a person become a Christian and grow in their faith, working in his garage-turned-carpenter shop, the pure love and smile a child brings, nature – necessary to be outside, playing his guitar, riding his bicycle. From childhood throughout his life, he had an uncanny and practical ability to figure out how things worked – how to make things and how to fix things. He loved freely -- and with humor! – and he was greatly loved and respected in return. Loyd was a kind, gentle, patient, wise, intelligent, practical, humble, Christian man and a wonderful role model. To his family members, and likely many others, he will reside in our hearts and continue to be a guide and inspiration to us. We thank God for the gift of him. Rest in heavenly peace, Loyd, Daddy, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, friend.
The family would like to thank the staff of Regent Care Center for the care given to Loyd during his stay there. We especially appreciate the many years of care by physicians, Dr. Brian Aquino, Dr. Ahmed Ahmed, Dr. Harold Rosenthal (retired), and their staffs.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, April 2, 2016 at Park Gate Community Church 3715 Preston RD, Pasadena, TX 77505.
What’s your fondest memory of Loyd?
What’s a lesson you learned from Loyd?
Share a story where Loyd's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Loyd you’ll never forget.
How did Loyd make you smile?