Grant Crawford

Grant Ira Crawford was born on April 5, 1977, to Roland and Lynn (Lunstra) Crawford in Luverne, Minnesota. Grant was baptized on May 8, 1977, at the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek and was later confirmed in May of 1993.

On November 13, 2004, Grant was united in marriage to Julie Marie DeChaine in St. Paul, Minnesota. In May 2014, Grant and Julie were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Elise Marie, who was the greatest joy of Grant’s life.

Grant attended school in the Hills-Beaver Creek school district, graduating in 1995. After high school, Grant attended South Dakota State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Science in 1999. He furthered his education by attending the University of Minnesota-St. Paul from 2000-2003, where he was a lab research assistant while obtaining his Master of Science degree in Animal Science. In 2007, Grant graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a PhD in Animal Science. In 2024, he graduated with a Master of Professional Studies from Cornell University. Grant's contributions to agriculture and animal science will continue to impact the field for years to come.

Grant was a member of the First Presbyterian Church-Beaver Creek and attended the First Presbyterian Church-Luverne where he and Julie would co-teach Sunday School classes together. He was an active member of the Beaver Valley Cemetery Association and the Rock-Nobles Cattlemen Association. Grant enjoyed reading, golfing, jogging, playing softball, traveling, and exercising.

Since childhood, Grant was a lover of statistics and sports. As a boy, he had notebooks full of sports stats on a variety of teams, and he loved to share that knowledge with anyone who would listen. Grant’s love of learning and curiosity about the world defined so much of his life. His pursuit of higher education may have resulted in numerous degrees and titles, but Grant’s true ambition in learning was always to contribute to a greater understanding, give back to his profession, and make the world and lives of those around him better.

Grant loved his family beyond measure and was a true family man. His wife, Julie, and his daughter, Elise, were the center of his world. Without a doubt, Husband and Dad were his most cherished titles. His weekend adventures with Elise were a highlight for both of them. Grant spent hours planning “Daddy/Daughter” adventures with Elise, passing on his love for life and the outdoors. The joy he found in playing Barbies and “LOL” dolls with Elise was endless and always filled with amazing amounts of creativity and humor.

Grant was a fun-loving, tender-hearted, kind man whose interest in others was true, honest, and beyond compare. His wonderful sense of humor was one of his most memorable qualities, and he will forever be remembered for his clever one-liners and quick wit. He always had time to talk and loved to attend sporting events for his daughter and other family members. “Uncle Buddy,” as he was known to his nephews and nieces, was always the one who could be counted on for fun. Grant was the one who, without fail, would be first in line to play games of any kind, from baseball to sledding to announcing stellar games of bingo at Christmas. He truly cared for family, near and far, making sure he always took time to visit relatives during his travels.

Grant’s presence made every gathering brighter, and his inspirational humor and positive approach to life made everyone who knew Grant feel cherished. Grant was a tremendous friend to so many, including dozens of close friends from childhood through his college days. Grant’s work as a graduate student at UMN, in his advanced studies at UNL and Cornell, in his participation in Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL), and through his work with Merck Animal Health resulted in valued friendships with colleagues across the country and around the world. Grant never met a stranger, and no matter where he went, he exuded kindness and generosity.

On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Grant died as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident at the age of 47 years, 11 months, and 22 days.

Grant will forever be remembered as a remarkable and beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, colleague, and friend. He is survived by his wife, Julie Crawford, of Jasper, Minnesota; his daughter, Elise Marie, of Jasper; parents, Rollie and Lynn Crawford of Beaver Creek, Minnesota; siblings, Tammy (Terry) Van Wyhe of Copper Center, Alaska, Anne (Craig) Stegenga of Luverne, Minnesota, Seth (Adrian) Crawford of Duluth, Georgia; nieces and nephews, Christopher Van Wyhe, Alex Van Wyhe, Jordan Stegenga, Emmie (Van Wyhe) Jackson, Maddie Stegenga, Will Stegenga, Sarah Stegenga, Ella Crawford, Ira Crawford, Clara Crawford and Adeleine Crawford; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Daniel and Darlene DeChaine of Blaine, Minnesota; siblings-in-law, Allen DeChaine of Anoka, Minnesota, Darren DeChaine (David Maghakian) of St. Paul, Minnesota, Dan (Carly) DeChaine of Andover, Minnesota; nieces- and nephews-in-law, Kayla (DeChaine) Tromborg, Tyler DeChaine, Hannah DeChaine, Owen DeChaine, Elliot DeChaine, and William DeChaine; great-nieces and nephews, Valori, Vince, Vera, Harvey, Cora, Arya, and Avery; as well as numerous beloved uncles, aunts, and cousins, including his Uncle Clair Crawford, with whom Grant had a very special relationship. Grant was preceded in death by his grandparents, Howard and Carolyn Crawford and Dewey and Jennie Lunstra; and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the "Grant Crawford Memorial Fund" at First Farmers & Merchants Bank, Luverne. Funds will be used to further causes near and dear to Grant's heart.