Vern Crawford: Dec.16, 1944-March 20, 2026 

Vern Crawford, a Kerrville Folk Festival volunteer for at least fifty years, passed away peacefully at home, in the sweet little house on the Guadalupe River that he shared with his wife, Lenore. He was surrounded by family and serenaded by friends, while hundreds more sent messages filled with love, gratitude, and cheer. Vern and Lenore enjoyed many wonderful years at their “Camp Peace Of Mind on the Guadalupe River” since retiring to the Hill Country in 2008.

Born eighty-one years ago in Fort Worth, Texas, to John and Annabelle Crawford, Vern learned early on the value of awareness and empathy. As the only fully sighted member of his immediate family, he developed a lifelong habit of narrating the world with care and curiosity—a gift he shared generously with everyone he met. Vern was deeply interested in people and continued making new friends through his final days.

On May 31, 1993, he married his beloved Lenore on Chapel Hill on the Quiet Valley Ranch, home of the Kerrville Folk Festival, surrounded by family and friends who shared their joy and celebrated them with music. Many of those folks and others he met over future years joined them again on Chapel Hill during the Festival for the many surprise anniversary celebrations Vern planned.

In his mid-fifties, Vern abruptly stopped smoking cigarettes, a habit he’d had for years. As he told it, one day he was on Chapel Hill looking around when he realized he had the most wonderful life with the most special woman he could ever want and he wanted it to enjoy it for many more years. He safely ground out the cigarette he was smoking, pocketed the butt to dispose of properly, and never smoked another cigarette.

Vern was, above all, an enthusiast. He delighted in watching others discover their talents and did everything he could to help songwriters—and anyone else—with a dream or a need. He believed in cooperation, democracy, and “it’s not lost until somebody moves it”.

Vern greeted one and all with a hearty hug and booming “Welcome Home.” He wore many hats: broom salesman and commercial driver, anti-hunger activist, photographer, baker, realtor, Master Naturalist, the Folk Festival’s #1 booster, KFF Foundation stockholder, Quiet Valley Ranch board member, and enthusiastic community volunteer for too many organizations to mention. As a young man, he even learned to fly because he was so curious about the world.

Vern loved his family, his friends, and the people he had just met who weren’t friends yet. He loved back scratches, rainbow suspenders, woodworking, Bluebell ice cream, the Oregon Country Fair, being a Peace Keeping Red Shirt, food co-ops, Cousin Andy’s Listening Room (Carbondale, Illinois),and being part of Sundays on Chapel Hill.

He loved being Lenore’s sweetie, channeling Santa, and answering to Dad and Opa. Most of all, Vern loved people—and he made them feel loved in return. How lucky we are to have known him. We will miss him deeply. And we know how deeply he loved us.

Along with his many friends, Vern is survived by his sweetie, wife Lenore; children Amber, Coral, Larry, and Laurel; and niece Sharon. He was predeceased by his son Deuce and is survived by Deuce’s sweetie Ann. He was Opa to grandchildren Adam, Ben , Benjamin,Christopher, Iana, Jack, Lucinda, Madison, Pepper, Riley, Ryan, Sam, and Sarah; and to great-grandchildren Christian and Corbyn. His whippet Sakura also misses him.

Vern was an active member of St. Boniface Episcopal Church, lustily sang bass in the choir, and was especially proud of Yes You Can, the church’s commitment to encouraging and supporting local youth to pursue further education. Donations designated in Vern’s memory can be made to the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation (link) or to Yes You Can (830.995.3897).

Or make a donation to an organization that is important to you because Vern always supported his friends’ passions.