DURHAM – Foy Roberson Crabtree, age 88, of 29 Innisfree Drive died Thursday, May 29th at Duke University Medical Center after a brief illness.
He was born January 21, 1920 in Durham County, the son of the late Claude Howard Crabtree and Viola Allen Crabtree. He was predeceased by three sisters and three brothers, Gladys Pendergraph, Lois Rich, Hazel Rich, Alton Crabtree, Leroy Crabtree and Clayborne Crabtree. Mr. Crabtree was a deacon and trustee of Angier Avenue Baptist Church and a member of the “Cabin Class” Sunday school class. He was also a member of the Durham Lions Club since 1967.
A devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he is survived by his wife of 60 years, Rebecca Stone Crabtree of Durham; a son, Dwight A. Crabtree, also of Durham; a daughter, Jacqueline Leigh Hollingsworth of Lawrenceville, Georgia; a granddaughter, Brianne Hollingsworth and two great-grandchildren, Ryan and Halie Hollingsworth, all of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Mr. Crabtree was employed by Durham Hosiery Mill, Norfolk Navy Yard, Abstone Iron Works and was president and founder of Industrial Metal Flame Sprayers, Inc. He retired on December 31, 2000 after sixty-five years of employment.
Visitation will take place on Sunday, June 1st from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Hall-Wynne Funeral Home.
Services will be held at Angier Avenue Baptist Church on Monday, June 2nd at 11:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be employees of Industrial Metal Flame Sprayers, Inc. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the “Cabin Class” and the Durham Lions Club. Internment will be at the Stanley Family Cemetery in Orange County.
Donna Ferguson Maynard
May 31, 2008 at 12:00 amI was so sorry to hear of Foy’s passing. I have very fond memories of him of each of you and of our years at Angier Avenue Baptist Church. You will all be in my thoughts and prayers.
Rebecca Starling
May 31, 2008 at 12:00 amI certainly will miss Uncle Foy, who was a pleasant, kind, and patient man. I really loved him and am glad for good memories of stopping to visit him when I passed through Durham in recent years. My world won’t be quite the same with him gone.
My sympathy goes to all the immediate family.
Becky
Sandra Crabtree Johnson
May 31, 2008 at 12:00 amTo Aunt Rebecca, Jackie and Dwight…I am saddened by the passing of Uncle Foy. I have some wonderful childhood memories of his visits to our home, especially when Daddy was so sick. He was kind hearted and generously donated oxygen, among other things, when funds ran short. He always made Daddy laugh and we looked forward to his visits.
I regret that we all lost touch over the years. I hope you are all happy and at a good place in your life.
I am married and have a daughter, son and several grandchildren. Mother is 82 and lives on my property in her own small space. She has a lot of health problems and needs a lot of assistance but we get along okay.
I serve as transcriptionist for the heart/lung transplant division at Duke. My lucky husband is now retired.
I look forward to seeing all of you again, albeit, a sad occasion. I know that you all will miss Uncle Foy immensely, but be assured that he is in a better place.
Anne Sloan Aulbert
May 31, 2008 at 12:00 amI was sorry to read of the death of Foy. He was a very good friend of my dad, Billy Sloan, and visited Daddy often the last years of his life. Daddy spoke fondly of Foy and always enjoyed his company. My prayers are with his family during this time of sadness.