Chehalis resident Hugh Brodie Crawford passed away March 24, 2003 at Centralia Providence Hospital, following surgery for a broken hip. Hugh was born Aug. 26, 1915 in New Castle, PA to Frank and Anna (Beal) Crawford, the second of three children. After the death of his father when Hugh was nine years old, the family moved to Berwyn, PA where he was raised. Early on he discovered his passion for acting, and spent much of his youth writing, directing and acting in neighborhood kids' theater groups which he organized. In his late teens and early adult years, Hugh had the opportunity to participte in off-Broadway productions in New York City.
With a scholarship to prestigious Columbia University in New York, Hugh studied three years before his eductaion was interrupted by serving his country during WWII, in Army special forces and in the military police. From 1942-45 he served in India and Burma, with medical discharge after contracting malaria. Hugh then resumed his education at Columbia University, later graduating with a degree in psychology followed by a degree from the Uni-versity of Buffalo in social work, remaining involved in theatrical productions.
After purchasing his baby blue 1951 Plymouth, Hugh moved west to Chehalis where he began his career as a social worker for DSHS, mostly working with foster children. He retired after 30 years, and was a 30-year member of the AFSCUE Union. Hugh became involved in local theater as a charter mem-ber of the Evergreen Play-house, appearing in its first production in 1960 followed by nine more plays until 1978. He organized three different touring theater companies composed of local talent, performing many plays in an assortment of venues. These acting groups included the S.W. Lewis County Theatre, Actors' Group and the Gaslight Theater Company. Fired by his passionate, creative talents in drama, Hugh also performed in at least 25 productions in the Oly-mpia area with Olympia Little Theatre, Harlequinn Productions, Capitol Cont-emporary Theatre, Ever-green State College among others. He also starred or performed in three videos and two TV commercials in the Puget Sound area. Hugh wrote and produced a 20-min. video re-enacting events of the 1919 Armistice Day riot. Titled "Peaceful Parade", it is available at Timberland Library and featured local talent and scenery.
An accomplished musician who played several instruments, in the early 60's Hugh formed a family and friends' band which they called "The Market Street Mocking-birds". They performed three years at the S.W.W. Fair, at grange dances and other events. The highlight was providing enter-tainment at the opening of the Mayfield Youth Camp and singing for Governor Albert Rosellini. He continued to play his saxophones, piano and guitar throughout his 88 years.
A staunch union supporter, in his late 80's Hugh attended the WTO demonstrations in Seattle, marching with union protestors. He had a decades-long, meticulously researched study of the Wobblies (Woodworkers' Union) and the Centralia 1919 incident, including Wobbly activities in other areas, as they fought to organize timber workers for better working conditions. He was a leading authority in that subject, as well as a prolific writer of letters to the editor, being printed in TIME magazine twice. Perhaps Hugh was best known in the Twin Cities for driving the baby blue '51 Plymouth. He counted many friends among the employees of Chehalis Fuller's store.
Two weeks after his passing, Hugh's older sister from Philadelphia, PA, art school professor and renowned artist Barbara Crawford Feinstein passed away.
Hugh will be missed by his surviving sister, Audrey Crawford Johnson of Princeton, NJ, her son and daughters; Brodie Crawford Johnson of Greenwich, CT; Hollis Johnson, Tahoe, CA; Cristin Clarke, Cape May, NJ; three nephews and two nieces. Hugh's other family included his (step) daughter and companion, Linda Sparhawk Linder, Toledo; granddaughters Joan Linder, Centralia; Ruby Linder Milovidova, (WSU) Pullman; Jane Linder Burnett, Winlock; greatgrandsons Adrian and Sandro Linder of Centralia. "H.B.C." a very special part of their lives. His good friends and neighbors, Bob Castle and Phyllis Rogers spent many hours of good conversation with Hugh.
At Hugh's request there were no services. Crem-ation was under direction of Cattermole Funeral Home, with inurnment of his ashes near Nathan Wesley Everest's gravesite in the Sticklin cemetery. He requested that mem-orials be in the form of contributions to Evergreen Playhouse, Centralia.
