Barry Sheldon Crawshaw, 85, died peacefully on September 17, 2023 at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Barry was born on March 26, 1938 to Serge and Bella (Nozick) Crawshaw in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He graduated from Poughkeepsie High School in New York and attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he studied electrical engineering and math.
After meeting while working at Midway Airport, Barry married Sonya Adell Hansen in 1960. Daughter Victoria was born in 1964 and son Kenneth followed in 1968. They moved to Hanover Park in the mid-1960s and immediately after Ken’s birth, Barry became a U.S. citizen. After the passing of Sonya, he became reacquainted with Pauline Scully, whom he had dated in his youth. They married in 2006 and moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina, where she was lovingly at his side until his death.
Barry resided in Hanover Park and was active in community service for over 40 years. He was highly involved in local politics; he founded and chaired the Better Independent Government Association of Hanover Park, and also chaired the CommUnity Party of Hanover Park, both of which were instrumental in electing his wife Sonya as a village official.
He had a special place in his heart for the Hanover Park Lions Club and “Lion Barry” served in multiple offices for the club, including president. Later, Barry continued his involvement with Lions Club in North Carolina, assisting with eye van at the local Apple Festival. He taught his children the importance of giving back, and his legacy of community service is one to which they continue to aspire.
Barry had a lengthy career at the CNA Insurance Companies in management and information systems consulting. He later became an avid Apple Macintosh user, highly involved in The Northwest of Us Macintosh User’s Group based in the Chicago suburbs. Later, he shared his Mac expertise with fellow retirees at the Heritage Hills residential neighborhood in which he and Polly resided.
Barry is remembered as a clever handyman. He could fix just about anything, not “jerry-rigging” them, but “Barry-rigging” them, as he called it. He assisted his children with science projects, student council elections (Vicki) and Boy Scout pinewood derbies (Ken). When his children purchased their first houses, he was at the door immediately, tools in hand and ready to help. After retirement, he began a woodworking hobby, making furniture and items for friends and family.
Barry also had a wry sense of humor. One of his favorite hand-made gifts was an electric banana, complete with a light when turned on, which he gave to friends and family members upon their 40th birthdays. The utility of the electric banana was a topic of discussion and known only to Barry.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert Crawshaw, and first wife, Sonya. He is survived by his wife Pauline, daughter Victoria (Richard) Kwarciany (Elburn, IL), son Kenneth Crawshaw (Indianapolis, IN), granddaughter Macy Adell Crawshaw (Indianapolis), and step-children Susan (Kathleen) Worthington-Duffy (Oaklyn, NJ), Jerry Worthington (Bucks County, PA) and Bradley Worthington (Philadelphia, PA).
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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