Thomas Jerry Crenshaw, Sr.

A funeral service honoring Thomas Jerry Crenshaw, Sr. will be held 11 AM Friday, May 5, 2023 in the Rivercrest Chapel, 13329 S. Memorial Drive in Bixby. Interment will follow in Floral Haven Memorial Gardens. The family will receive visitors from 6-8 PM Thursday, also at Rivercrest. Tom passed away Sunday evening, April 30, 2023 at his Broken Arrow residence with his family. He was 81 years old.

Born June 11, 1941 in Greenville, Mississippi, Tom was the son of Jesse Lee and Mary (Bow) Crenshaw. He began his career with Sherwin Williams during his Senior year. Tom graduated from Greenville High School with the Class of 1959. Following high school, Tom served honorably in the United States Army National Guard.

While working at the Sherwin Williams store in Meridian, Mississippi, Tom would meet Faith, a young lady from Houston who immediately caught his attention. The couple met at a coffee shop across the street from the paint store and thereafter the couple never left each other's side. Tom and faith were married March 1, 1964 at Highland Baptist Church in Meridian and were married for 59 years.

Tom worked for Sherwin Williams for 47 years, taking on numerous roles and retired as a Corrosion Coatings Engineer serving the oil and gas industry. His career brought them to Oklahoma where they raised their three children, Tammy, Kim, and Thomas Jr. in Bixby.

While in Bixby, Tom and others were introduced to a game called soccer by Pete Maroney from England. Tom saw what this game could to do for the kids and the community and immediately became a coach to his children, a referee, and even a player in the Men's Enjoyable Soccer Society. His passion didn't stop there, he and others worked hard to establish Keys Field in Bixby as well as the soccer complex at Haikey Creek. Tom went on to become President of the Bixby Soccer Club. Soccer in the area is certainly more prevalent today because of Thomas Crenshaw.

Tom didn't just have hobbies. His legacy is he put everything into whatever he did and loved. He was hunter, a fisherman, a craftsman, pit crew leader, RC planes, car, and boats enthusiast, even won the American Power Boat Association National Championship in 1988. He would master one and move to another. Woodworking became his passion following retirement. Again, mastering the art and that's where he found he could serve. He built for his children, grand children, neighbors, and the community with his gift. His joy was serving the Tulsa Boy's Home with repairing and building everything they brought to him even what seemed impossible to repair. The work he has done will last for generations. He loved to play video poker during his time off and he and Faith met many great new friends during.

May Tom's memory be eternal among a host of surviving family and friends who loved him and to his co- workers known as a legend.

Surviving family include his three children, Tammy Kowalski and her husband, Nathan, Kim Crenshaw, and Thomas Jerry Crenshaw Jr. and his wife, Lauren; his grandchildren, Jessica Benitone and her husband, Caleb, Grace Kowalski, Bailey McLaughlin, Brett McLaughlin, Brian McLaughlin, T.J. Crenshaw III, and Gabriel Crenshaw.

Tom was preceded by his parents; his sisters, Teresa Foley and Shirley Spinelli; and his brother, James Crenshaw.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorial contributions to the Tulsa Boy's Home DONATE - Tulsa Boys' Home (tulsaboyshome.org)
 

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