Obituary of Patricia Lea Crawford

Patricia Lea Smith Crawford was born in Mancos, Colorado, in a log cabin tent, a testament to the humble and simple beginnings that shaped her life. She attended school in the Englewood district and later graduated from Campion Academy, where she spent four formative years. Though she longed to pursue higher education, circumstances prevented her from attending college. Instead, Patricia began her career at Porter Memorial Hospital, where she met her future husband, Harry Melvin “Bud” Crawford. They married in 1960 and shared a life of love, adventure, and faith.

Patricia traveled the world alongside Bud, including journeys connected to the SEARCH Foundation’s expeditions to Mount Ararat in Turkey. While Bud joined climbs that captured international attention for their connection to the story of Noah’s Ark, Patricia faithfully supported and encouraged him. Together they raised three children, creating a home marked by warmth, adventure, and devotion.

Tragedy struck when Patricia was widowed after a motor vehicle accident claimed Bud’s life. In time, she remarried Rodger Hirst, becoming part of a blended family of seven children. Though their marriage lasted ten years, they remained lifelong friends. Later, in 1998, she married Dr. Warren Turner Waggerby, whom she cared for during his illness and decline with deep compassion.

Patricia’s life was marked by resilience. After a severe fall in 2000, she endured multiple fractures, surgeries, and health crises—including cardiac arrest and strokes—yet her physicians often described her as “a miracle many times over.” Even while wheelchair-bound, Patricia’s spirit remained unshaken. She found joy in Shabbat observances, eagerly participating in Kiddush and Havdalah, and she continued to encourage her family to pursue the recovery of “The Lost Scriptures of the Essenes and the Rebirth of Essene Medicine.” She generously supported research into ancient covenant practices, including the prohibition of mixing flax-linen and wool, work that continues to inspire readers and seekers today.

Her heart for service never wavered. Patricia believed that true religion was shown by caring for widows and orphans. She became a faithful supporter of orphans of Benei Israel and also helped children in Pakistan who had lost their parents for honoring the Sabbath. Her legacy of compassion will endure in these lives she touched.

Patricia’s greatest wish was to be laid to rest beside her first husband, H.M. "Bud" Crawford, at Fort Logan National Cemetery. That wish will be fulfilled with services on September 5, 2025, at 9 a.m.

Patricia is survived by her sister, Lee Davidson, and her husband Robert, and niece Heather with her two daughters and two great grandchildren. Patricia is also survived by her two daughters: Cheryl Crawford-Kresser and her husband Herman, with granddaughter Carrie and great grandson Cassie Trevor; and Heidi Crawford-Yellen and her husband Rabbi Ben-Hayil Yellen, with their beloved daughter Elizabeth. She is also survived by stepdaughters Suzanne Hirst Thomson and Pamela Joy Hirst Riddle; her foster grandson David and his wife Cynthia, and six cherished great-grandchildren: Nathaniel, Daniel, Naomi, Noah, Jonathan, and Sara.

Patricia will be remembered for her unshakable faith, her resilience through trials, her deep love for her family, and her unwavering commitment to serving others. May her memory be for a blessing.