User:Imogene12/sandbox

Ralph S. Crawford was born November 5, 1933 in Walnut Park, CA. His mother was Margaret Ovilla Sedwick, born in Menan, Idaho and was married to his father, Johnny Robert Crawford, who was born in Bowie Co. TX. He was an only child from this union. His mother says that he was creative even as a small child of 3. He created small sailboats that he sailed on the little goldfish pond. His parents divorced when he was 7 years old. His mother put him into Ramsey Military School. Old home videos showed him as the smallest of all the students at the military school. For the rest of his young life before he married at age 19, with his grandparents, Willis A. Vance and Pearl Liston Vance. He says that he did not do very well in school because he sat in the back of the room and drew and drew and drew. His grades show that he did at least average work, though he excelled in art. In the spring of his 19th year he married Charlotte Bowman. He worked at Lockheed and other jobs, until he became a full time roofer. His first 3 children were born in California, Mike in 1954, Jennifer 1955, Dan, 1957. At this time some relatives had moved to Idaho. He liked the hunting and fishing and more rural life Idaho had to offer, so in May 1960. They had sold their house and had $2500 cash. California was changing. He used to ride his bike to the ocean, would stay over night onl the beach, rode his bike to Pasedena Rose Bowl. The rapid population growth of California along with more crime, drugs convinced him that Idaho was a much nicer, safer place to raise a family. For the next 10 years, he was a roofer. The last few years he owned his own business, Advanced Roofing. He roofed in a 50-75 mile radius  of his on Lindsay Creek Road outside of Lewiston. His wife of nearly 18 years, left. With not the need to work and high wages, his "hobby" of art became his focus. He started out in a small wing of his house with creating bronzes and even cast some of his earlier pieces, himself. He started local art shows. His interest was primar