Carmen Alexander Crawford Funeral services for Mrs. Carmen Alexander Crawford, age 83, of Zachary, LA formerly of Ruston, LA will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, October 18, 2013 at The Bridge Community Church Hwy. 167 North in Ruston, LA. Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon until service time at the church. Officiating the service will be Dr. Reggie Bridges of First Baptist Church of Zachary, LA and PastorJames Skinner of The Bridge. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Ruston under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of Ruston. Mrs. Crawford was born in Hilly, LA on February 26, 1930, into the home of Alonzo Cornelius and Neva Morris Alexander. She left this earth for her Heavenly home on Tuesday, October 15, 2013. She was educated in the Lincoln Parish school system, graduating from Ruston High School and attended Louisiana Tech University. Mrs. Crawford served as Cost Center Manager of the Lincoln Parish Health Unit from 1954 – 1984 and Office Manager and Administrator of Haworth Home Health from 1987 – 1995. She was a member of the Grace Sunday School Class and Young at Heart at Temple Baptist Church, Lincoln General Hospital Auxiliary and National Association of Retired Federal Employees as a spouse. Carmen fought a long and courageous battle with diabetes and heart disease. She will be dearly missed but we take great joy in knowing she is reunited with her dear husband and is home with her Lord and Savior. Carmen will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and a true friend to many. Her 53 year marriage was one of great love and devotion. The fine Christian example she and Clyde set is of lasting influence in the lives of their children and grandchildren. Mrs. Crawford was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 53 years, Clyde H. Crawford, her parents, two brothers, J.C. Alexander and Billy Alexander and five sisters, Lillian Alexander Riggs, Polly Alexander, Thelma Alexander Crawford, Norma Alexander Burnham and Neva Dell Alexander Burnham. She is survived by her four children, Gary Crawford and wife Sara of Tacoma, WA; Kathy Howard and husband Don of Zachary, LA; Doug Crawford and wife Sherri of Ruston, LA; and Dickie Crawford and wife Toni of Ruston, LA; eight grandchildren, Rick Crawford, Cliff Crawford, Heather Howard Prejean, Wes Howard, Stan Crawford, Carmen Crawford Johnson, Emma Crawford and Adam Crawford; seven great grandchildren, Anna Catherine Crawford, Jackson Crawford, Chloe Crawford, Briley Howard, Cullen Howard, Jack Prejean, Ayres Crawford and another great grandchild, Holden Alexander Prejean, due in November. Pallbearers will be Carmen's grandsons, Rick Crawford, Cliff Crawford, Wes Howard, Stan Crawford, Adam Crawford and Andre Prejean, Jereme Johnson, Bill Hyams, Bill Carter, and Kevin Kavanaugh. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com