Keith Crabtree

Tuesday, August 4, 2015 1:10 pm

Keith Crabtree, 91, of Decorah, died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Funeral services were at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 7, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah, with Rev. Melissa Bills officiating. Organist was Lorraine Meyer. Hymns were “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.” Military rites were by Decorah veterans groups. Interment was at Washington Prairie Cemetery in Decorah. Arrangements were handled by Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Decorah.

Norman Keith Crabtree was born April 24, 1924, the son of Archie and Hazel (Gillette) Crabtree, west of Burr Oak. Keith moved with his family into Decorah at the age of two and attended Decorah Community Schools. Keith served in the US Army Air Corp during World War II, in Northern Africa, for two years.  He returned in 1945 to Decorah. He drove a semi and this is how he met his wife, Dorothy Johnson. They were married May 8, 1946, in Evanston, Ill. To this union, three children were born: Kenneth, Alan and Roxann. Keith worked for seven years at a Corn Processing Plant in Cedar Rapids, and for Nash – Finch Wholesaler for 19 years, also in Cedar Rapids. Keith and Dorothy moved to California for two years and returned to Decorah, where Keith worked driving semi for his father, hauling beer for three distributors. Keith enjoyed woodworking, model trains and collecting model cars. Keith was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Decorah.

Keith is survived by his wife of 69 years, Dorothy Crabtree; two children, Alan Crabtree, Cedar Rapids and Roxann Gardner, Martinsburg, W.V.; two granddaughters, Kelly (Paul) Chin and Kimberly (Mike) Davis; four great-granddaughters: Hailey and Savannah Davis and Saya and Nora Chin; one brother-in-law, Ronald (Joanne) Johnson, Hartford, S.D.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Archie and Hazel (Gillette) Crabtree; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Rocella (Vangsness) Johnson; one son, Kenneth Crabtree; one brother-in-law, Edgar (Lou) Johnson.