Nancy Keach Crawford

Nancy Keach Crawford, 96, of Carmel, Indiana, passed away on April 7, 2025. She was born on March 26, 1929, in Akron, Ohio, to parents, J. Robert Keach and Audra (Walters) Keach.

Nancy is survived by her children, Peter (Cindy) Crawford, Andy (Cheryl) Crawford and David (Daria) Crawford; 7 grandchildren, Sam T. (Liz) Crawford, Ben Crawford, Sara (Nate) Brown, Whitney (Ben) Deane, Mackenzie (Mark) Kulik, Sam A. (Morgan) Crawford and Ellie Crawford; and 7 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 72 years, Thomas Michael Crawford and her parents.

Nancy spent her youth in several localities in northeast Ohio but always considered Willoughby, Ohio her hometown, and fondly recalled her days there. A graduate of Wittenberg University, she married Tom in 1951, and after the birth of her children led the life of a homemaker as she supported Tom as he worked in the food science industry. Their moves led them to Chicago, Illinois, Greenville, Illinois, New Albany, Indiana and Minneapolis, Minnesota until they moved to Carmel, Indiana in 1975 where she lived the remainder of her life. There she embarked on a career as an executive assistant with Tri-County Mental Health, where she developed many close relationships and from where she retired.

Nancy was an avid golfer, playing well into her eighties, and greatly enjoyed playing bridge with Tom and their friends. She and Tom traveled the world in their retirement, and Nancy cherished that experience. She was also known to enjoy a beer or libation every now and then as she cheered on her Ohio State Buckeyes, and her sons tried to keep her well supplied in her later years.

Friends and family were first and foremost for Nancy. She was close to her sisters Susan Ziegler and Deborah Brubaker all her life, even though she was a tad bit older than them. Once a friend always a friend for Nancy, as her dear friend Sandra Swartzfager can attest. They met as backyard neighbors in the early 60s in tiny Greenville, Illinois, and remained close friends the rest of Nancy’s life even though they lived hundreds of miles apart for over the last 50 years.

A Celebration of Life is planned for 1:00pm, Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Flanner Buchanan – Geist (7855 Cork Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46236), with a gathering afterwards from 1:30-3:30pm.

To watch her Celebration of Life, please click here 

Memorial contributions in her name can be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.