Born Florence Marie Baker on May 15, 1927, in Toledo, Ohio, and the oldest of four siblings, Florence was only thirteen years old when her father, James Edgar Baker, drowned in a boating accident. As the oldest of the siblings, she spent a good deal of her time caring for a brother, Walter, and two sisters, Joann and Pat, while her mother, Mildred, worked as a stenographer to support the family. While still a teenager, she met and corresponded with future husband, Glen, during WWII as he served his alternative service, mostly in California. Five years after losing her father, now age 18, she married Glen Crago, the eldest son of Leo and Edith Sibbersen Crago, a life-long farming couple in Wood County, Ohio.
After marriage, Florence and Glen went off to Manchester College in Indiana, to begin their life together. Glen, aspiring to do something different with his life, decided to leave farming to pursue a Bachelor's Degree, while Florence focused her time on rearing three children. Son Tom was born in 1946, Maggie was born in 1948 and Jim was born in 1949, all while Glen was still in College. With support from family and friends, they then went on to Bethany Seminary where Glen finished a Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1952 and began a career as a pastor in the Church of the Brethren. Glen and Florence fostered more than ten other children over the years.
Many years later, after seeing their three children off on their own or in college, Florence went back to school, earning a Bachelor's Degree, a Master's Degree and, ultimately, a Ph. D. from Claremont Graduate School in 1976. Florence took pride in the fact, that even though both she and Glen graduated the same day with Ph.D. degrees, she got hers first because Florence Crago comes ahead of Glen Crago in alphabetical order, and she walked across the stage first. Like Glen, she also became an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren.
Much of their life together was experienced as a couple. For example, both had teaching positions at the University of LaVerne for a number of years, followed by Interim Pastorates/Co-Pastorates at several different churches from California to Colorado to Ohio. They also took many student classes to Mexico on archaeology field trips and yet other volunteer groups to Testerazo, Mexico, to build a medical clinic and water system for that community. In their last years working together, they spent a lengthy period of service as volunteer managers of the Heifer Project gift shop at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas.
Then, in 2000, Florence lost Glen in Little Rock, Arkansas. She decided to stay on at Heifer Ranch for several more years, but in 2004, she decided to move to The Cedars retirement community in McPherson, Kansas. There she was offered a half-time position as Co-Chaplain for the Retirement Community and also worked with international exchange students. Even when she finally left those roles several years later, she insisted that she wasn't actually retiring, but was simply doing some different things.
Her last years were spent in Colorado Springs, near son Tom's family, where she was looked after by Tom and his wife, Janet Knackstedt Crago. Florence died peaceably on July 31st, 2020, after a prolonged battle with arthritis and dementia.
Florence outlived both parents and her three siblings. She leaves behind eldest son, Tom Crago, and his wife Janet, of Colorado Springs, a daughter, Maggie Crago, of Portland, Oregon, and youngest son, Jim Crago, and his wife Melba, of New Bloomfield, Missouri. She also leaves 7 grandchildren, George Crago (wife Michelle), Will Crago (wife Michele), Stephen Cronburg, Leo Cronburg (partner Raychel), Kristi Thomason-Redus (husband Caen), Michelle Buessing (husband Damien) and Jackie Sailler (husband Daniel), and 13 great-grandchildren, Dominick (wife KayLynne), Ashley, Juniper, Arianna, Isaiah, Caleb, Lydia, Payton, Maya, Dereje, Brooklyn, Henry and Olive.
Memorial gifts honoring Florence's life may be directed to the Glen and Florence Crago Endowment at Heifer Foundation, PO Box 727, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72203
After marriage, Florence and Glen went off to Manchester College in Indiana, to begin their life together. Glen, aspiring to do something different with his life, decided to leave farming to pursue a Bachelor's Degree, while Florence focused her time on rearing three children. Son Tom was born in 1946, Maggie was born in 1948 and Jim was born in 1949, all while Glen was still in College. With support from family and friends, they then went on to Bethany Seminary where Glen finished a Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1952 and began a career as a pastor in the Church of the Brethren. Glen and Florence fostered more than ten other children over the years.
Many years later, after seeing their three children off on their own or in college, Florence went back to school, earning a Bachelor's Degree, a Master's Degree and, ultimately, a Ph. D. from Claremont Graduate School in 1976. Florence took pride in the fact, that even though both she and Glen graduated the same day with Ph.D. degrees, she got hers first because Florence Crago comes ahead of Glen Crago in alphabetical order, and she walked across the stage first. Like Glen, she also became an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren.
Much of their life together was experienced as a couple. For example, both had teaching positions at the University of LaVerne for a number of years, followed by Interim Pastorates/Co-Pastorates at several different churches from California to Colorado to Ohio. They also took many student classes to Mexico on archaeology field trips and yet other volunteer groups to Testerazo, Mexico, to build a medical clinic and water system for that community. In their last years working together, they spent a lengthy period of service as volunteer managers of the Heifer Project gift shop at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas.
Then, in 2000, Florence lost Glen in Little Rock, Arkansas. She decided to stay on at Heifer Ranch for several more years, but in 2004, she decided to move to The Cedars retirement community in McPherson, Kansas. There she was offered a half-time position as Co-Chaplain for the Retirement Community and also worked with international exchange students. Even when she finally left those roles several years later, she insisted that she wasn't actually retiring, but was simply doing some different things.
Her last years were spent in Colorado Springs, near son Tom's family, where she was looked after by Tom and his wife, Janet Knackstedt Crago. Florence died peaceably on July 31st, 2020, after a prolonged battle with arthritis and dementia.
Florence outlived both parents and her three siblings. She leaves behind eldest son, Tom Crago, and his wife Janet, of Colorado Springs, a daughter, Maggie Crago, of Portland, Oregon, and youngest son, Jim Crago, and his wife Melba, of New Bloomfield, Missouri. She also leaves 7 grandchildren, George Crago (wife Michelle), Will Crago (wife Michele), Stephen Cronburg, Leo Cronburg (partner Raychel), Kristi Thomason-Redus (husband Caen), Michelle Buessing (husband Damien) and Jackie Sailler (husband Daniel), and 13 great-grandchildren, Dominick (wife KayLynne), Ashley, Juniper, Arianna, Isaiah, Caleb, Lydia, Payton, Maya, Dereje, Brooklyn, Henry and Olive.
Memorial gifts honoring Florence's life may be directed to the Glen and Florence Crago Endowment at Heifer Foundation, PO Box 727, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72203
Born Florence Marie Baker on May 15, 1927, in Toledo, Ohio, and the oldest of four siblings, Florence was only thirteen years old when her father, James Edgar Baker, drowned in a boating accident. As the oldest of the siblings, she spent a good deal of her time caring for a brother, Walter, and two sisters, Joann and Pat, while her mother, Mildred, worked as a stenographer to support the family. While still a teenager, she met and corresponded with future husband, Glen, during WWII as he served his alternative service, mostly in California. Five years after losing her father, now age 18, she married Glen Crago, the eldest son of Leo and Edith Sibbersen Crago, a life-long farming couple in Wood County, Ohio.
After marriage, Florence and Glen went off to Manchester College in Indiana, to begin their life together. Glen, aspiring to do something different with his life, decided to leave farming to pursue a Bachelor's Degree, while Florence focused her time on rearing three children. Son Tom was born in 1946, Maggie was born in 1948 and Jim was born in 1949, all while Glen was still in College. With support from family and friends, they then went on to Bethany Seminary where Glen finished a Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1952 and began a career as a pastor in the Church of the Brethren. Glen and Florence fostered more than ten other children over the years.
Many years later, after seeing their three children off on their own or in college, Florence went back to school, earning a Bachelor's Degree, a Master's Degree and, ultimately, a Ph. D. from Claremont Graduate School in 1976. Florence took pride in the fact, that even though both she and Glen graduated the same day with Ph.D. degrees, she got hers first because Florence Crago comes ahead of Glen Crago in alphabetical order, and she walked across the stage first. Like Glen, she also became an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren.
Much of their life together was experienced as a couple. For example, both had teaching positions at the University of LaVerne for a number of years, followed by Interim Pastorates/Co-Pastorates at several different churches from California to Colorado to Ohio. They also took many student classes to Mexico on archaeology field trips and yet other volunteer groups to Testerazo, Mexico, to build a medical clinic and water system for that community. In their last years working together, they spent a lengthy period of service as volunteer managers of the Heifer Project gift shop at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas.
Then, in 2000, Florence lost Glen in Little Rock, Arkansas. She decided to stay on at Heifer Ranch for several more years, but in 2004, she decided to move to The Cedars retirement community in McPherson, Kansas. There she was offered a half-time position as Co-Chaplain for the Retirement Community and also worked with international exchange students. Even when she finally left those roles several years later, she insisted that she wasn't actually retiring, but was simply doing some different things.
Her last years were spent in Colorado Springs, near son Tom's family, where she was looked after by Tom and his wife, Janet Knackstedt Crago. Florence died peaceably on July 31st, 2020, after a prolonged battle with arthritis and dementia.
Florence outlived both parents and her three siblings. She leaves behind eldest son, Tom Crago, and his wife Janet, of Colorado Springs, a daughter, Maggie Crago, of Portland, Oregon, and youngest son, Jim Crago, and his wife Melba, of New Bloomfield, Missouri. She also leaves 7 grandchildren, George Crago (wife Michelle), Will Crago (wife Michele), Stephen Cronburg, Leo Cronburg (partner Raychel), Kristi Thomason-Redus (husband Caen), Michelle Buessing (husband Damien) and Jackie Sailler (husband Daniel), and 13 great-grandchildren, Dominick (wife KayLynne), Ashley, Juniper, Arianna, Isaiah, Caleb, Lydia, Payton, Maya, Dereje, Brooklyn, Henry and Olive.
Memorial gifts honoring Florence's life may be directed to the Glen and Florence Crago Endowment at Heifer Foundation, PO Box 727, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72203
After marriage, Florence and Glen went off to Manchester College in Indiana, to begin their life together. Glen, aspiring to do something different with his life, decided to leave farming to pursue a Bachelor's Degree, while Florence focused her time on rearing three children. Son Tom was born in 1946, Maggie was born in 1948 and Jim was born in 1949, all while Glen was still in College. With support from family and friends, they then went on to Bethany Seminary where Glen finished a Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1952 and began a career as a pastor in the Church of the Brethren. Glen and Florence fostered more than ten other children over the years.
Many years later, after seeing their three children off on their own or in college, Florence went back to school, earning a Bachelor's Degree, a Master's Degree and, ultimately, a Ph. D. from Claremont Graduate School in 1976. Florence took pride in the fact, that even though both she and Glen graduated the same day with Ph.D. degrees, she got hers first because Florence Crago comes ahead of Glen Crago in alphabetical order, and she walked across the stage first. Like Glen, she also became an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren.
Much of their life together was experienced as a couple. For example, both had teaching positions at the University of LaVerne for a number of years, followed by Interim Pastorates/Co-Pastorates at several different churches from California to Colorado to Ohio. They also took many student classes to Mexico on archaeology field trips and yet other volunteer groups to Testerazo, Mexico, to build a medical clinic and water system for that community. In their last years working together, they spent a lengthy period of service as volunteer managers of the Heifer Project gift shop at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas.
Then, in 2000, Florence lost Glen in Little Rock, Arkansas. She decided to stay on at Heifer Ranch for several more years, but in 2004, she decided to move to The Cedars retirement community in McPherson, Kansas. There she was offered a half-time position as Co-Chaplain for the Retirement Community and also worked with international exchange students. Even when she finally left those roles several years later, she insisted that she wasn't actually retiring, but was simply doing some different things.
Her last years were spent in Colorado Springs, near son Tom's family, where she was looked after by Tom and his wife, Janet Knackstedt Crago. Florence died peaceably on July 31st, 2020, after a prolonged battle with arthritis and dementia.
Florence outlived both parents and her three siblings. She leaves behind eldest son, Tom Crago, and his wife Janet, of Colorado Springs, a daughter, Maggie Crago, of Portland, Oregon, and youngest son, Jim Crago, and his wife Melba, of New Bloomfield, Missouri. She also leaves 7 grandchildren, George Crago (wife Michelle), Will Crago (wife Michele), Stephen Cronburg, Leo Cronburg (partner Raychel), Kristi Thomason-Redus (husband Caen), Michelle Buessing (husband Damien) and Jackie Sailler (husband Daniel), and 13 great-grandchildren, Dominick (wife KayLynne), Ashley, Juniper, Arianna, Isaiah, Caleb, Lydia, Payton, Maya, Dereje, Brooklyn, Henry and Olive.
Memorial gifts honoring Florence's life may be directed to the Glen and Florence Crago Endowment at Heifer Foundation, PO Box 727, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72203
