CANASTOTA . . .

On November 27, 2025, we said goodbye to our mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend, Shirley Ann Crawford, 92, of Canastota. Always true to herself, Shirley was known for her honesty, candor and genuine love of her family, friends, students, and—so dearly—her dogs. To her, they were soulmates, each loss taking a piece of her heart. We find comfort knowing that she is reunited with her beloved companions and our father.

Shirley was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on July 2, 1933, to Karl and Nellie (Fairburn) Eagley. She grew up in Erie, and attended Penn State University where she graduated in 1955, with a Bachelor of Science with honors. After graduation, a renewed college friendship with Jack Crawford blossomed into a once-in-a-lifetime love. They were wed February 25, 1956, and remained happily married until his passing in 2024.

Exemplifying her commitment to lifelong learning, Shirley continued to advance her education with a Master's degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and her PhD from Syracuse University in 1975.

Her children, Kathleen Salitan (Charles), Jonathan Crawford (Suzanne), and Mary Crawford (Dock) are blessed and honored to have had the love of such an amazing mother and role model and will be forever grateful for her guidance and support throughout their lives. Her grandchildren, Chad Salitan (Amandine), Chelsea Boyd (Nick), and Jessica Greenwood (Brian) are wonderfully gifted adults with their grandmother's tenacity, honesty, and intelligence. Shirley became a great-grandmother this past spring to our little "Bean," who she was crazy about.

Shirley lived to teach and only recently retired in May 2025 from the State University of New York at Morrisville, where she worked as a professor of Biology for 52 years. For her many students and the countless lives she touched as a teacher and mentor, the academic community has truly lost a treasure. Throughout her career, she received numerous accolades, including the Morrisville Distinguished Teacher Award, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the SUNY Board of Trustees Distinguished Teaching Professor. Crawford Hall, part of the Morrisville campus, was dedicated to Jack and Shirley in 2001 in recognition of their commitment to the college. She loved Morrisville, her colleagues, and, most of all, her students. She always taught with integrity and strived to make a real difference in her students' lives from the first day to her last.

A Celebration of her Life will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the Morrisville Hospitality Suite at SUNY Morrisville, located on this map https://map.morrisville.edu/. Please park in Lot D, and the building is between Lot D and the Stadium #139.

Shirley spent more than five decades tirelessly educating her students at Morrisville and she and Jack supported the college in countless ways. Shirley taught in a building bearing her name and the Shirley and Jack Crawford Scholarship has supported more than 100 students in their education at Morrisville. In lieu of flowers, please direct gifts in Shirley's honor to the Crawford Family Scholarship at SUNY Morrisville at www.morrisville.edu/give or by mailing a check to the Morrisville College Foundation, P.O. Box 901, Morrisville NY 13408.