Robert W. Crawford *55

Robert Crawford, who applied his Islamic-studies education to public and private service, died Sept. 19, 2017, at age 93.

During World War II, Crawford drove an ambulance in North Africa for the American Field Service, and then enlisted in the Marines. After the war, he graduated from Yale in 1950, and in 1955 earned a Ph.D. from Princeton in Oriental languages and literatures.

He joined the U.S. Information Agency and was assigned to Tangier and Rabat, Morocco. Subsequently, he was with the Rockefeller Foundation, where he oversaw the awarding of grants throughout East Africa. He served a stint as vice president of the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. Then, he became the executive director of the Spring Hill Conference Center in Minneapolis, and was appointed to the National Endowment of the Arts.

Crawford began a new career consulting for nonprofit arts groups. He later retired to Santa Barbara, Calif., and taught and studied at the community college there. He also was a volunteer book reader for recordings for the visually impaired.

Crawford was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Mary Louise. He is survived by five children; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.