by Cliff Buchan
News Editor
Forest Lake Times

Jim Crawford was just a junior in high school when he enlisted in the Navy near the tail end of World War II. It was the start of a long life of service for the man who had moved to Forest Lake when he was 10.

Crawford, who would go on to serve as chief of the Minnesota State Patrol and mayor of Forest Lake, died Saturday, Dec. 10 at St. John's Northeast in Maplewood. He was 77 and had battled cancer for the past year.

His life was one marked by service, said his wife of nearly 55 years, Barbara. Crawford spent 37 years with the Minnesota State Patrol and logged a 30-year military career that spanned service in the Navy, Air Force and Army.

In addition, Crawford was deeply involved on the home front with service to his home town in numerous capacities.

Born in Texas

Crawford was born on June 15, 1928 on a cattle ranch near Goldswaithe, TX, where his parents, Dean and Doris Crawford had gone to live with family for the summer. The Crawfords moved to Minnesota, and when Crawford was 10, relocated to Forest Lake from Minneapolis, his wife said.

He joined the Navy while still in high school in 1945 and spent the next three years on active duty. At the end of his enlistment, he returned home and enrolled at Macalester College, St. Paul, where he studied accounting and political science. He left college to complete a one-year stint in the Air Force and then returned home to Forest Lake.

On Dec. 27, 1950 he married Barbara Hall of Forest Lake. She graduated Forest Lake High School in 1949 and the two met in school.

Crawford was strongly influenced by his father-in-law, Garnet Hall, and in 1952 became a state trooper. Garnet Hall served 30 years in the patrol.

"Jim always looked up to my dad,² Barbara said. ³He was a military person, too. I think that is why Jim chose those fields."

As a state trooper, Barbara Crawford said her husband liked the independence, excitement and ability to help people.

O'Kasick Gang

Crawford got more than his share of excitement in September of 1957 when he was at the center of a police shoot out involving the infamous O'Kasick Gang. The three brothers were known criminals who were on the run after kidnapping a Ham Lake man and shooting and running over a police officer in St. Paul who nearly died.

Crawford confronted the gang west of Forest Lake and engaged in a gun battle near the northwestern border of the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area west of Forest Lake and Wyoming. When it was over, the O'Kasicks had killed their hostage and two of the brothers were mortally wounded by Crawford. The third brother was also wounded and eventually took his own life in prison.

"It really bothered him in the early years," his wife said of the shooting. "He was quite young. It made him a stronger man. He was proud he had done his job."

Crawford's career with the patrol expanded from the highways to the administration in St. Paul. He served as chief of the Minnesota State Patrol from 1973 until his retirement in 1979. He also worked as director of the motor vehicle and driver's license departments.

Other service

Crawford's personal life was also marked by military and community service.

He joined the Army Reserves and capped his 30 plus years of active and reserve duty by retiring as a brigadier general on June 15, 1988, his 60th birthday.

Although he left high school early, he later earned a degree from Forest Lake. He earned a BS degree in public administration from Metropolitan State University and did graduate work at Northwestern University Traffic Institute and the University of Virginia.

As part of his military training, he attended the U.S. Army War College and Command General Staff College. As part of his police work, Crawford completed the FBI National Academy program.

In civilian life, he served on the city planning and police commissions and was a volunteer firefighter. In 1990 he won the first of two two-year terms as mayor.

Said City Administrator Chip Robinson: "Mayor James Crawford believed and practiced a conservative approach to local government. His direction and decisions as mayor of the city were always based on what the impact would be on the local property taxpayer. He will always be a part of the history of Forest Lake."

David Schwartz, retired police chief and director of public safety here, was hired by Crawford through the police commission and worked with him for many years.

"It's a huge loss for the community," Schwartz said.

"He had his way of doing things, but he always meant well for the community."

Along with his city service, Crawford served on the Washington County Community Corrections Advisory Board and the county planning advisory committee.

He was active in Boy Scouts through the Indianhead Council.

He was also a member of American Legion Business and Professional Post 450 and Masonic Lodge 344 in Forest Lake.

Funeral details

A funeral service for James C. Crawford was Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Faith Lutheran Church, Forest Lake, with Rev. Phil Peterson officiating. Interment was at Fort Snelling National Cemetery with full military honors.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Jeff (Lynda) Crawford, Woodbury, and Jay (Jan) Crawford, Apex, NC; grandchildren Kadie, Kendall and Kale Crawford, Samantha and Sarah Crawford; and James and Jessica Ashwood; two sisters, Jane Day, Portland, OR, and Margaret Kramer, Joplin, MO.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Jodie Larson in 1993 and one sister, Laura Olson.

Memorials are preferred to the Masonic Cancer Fund.

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