Sept. 20, 1920 – Feb. 23, 2016

NATCHEZ — Graveside services for Samuel Victor “Vic” Crawford, 95, formerly of Natchez, who died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, in Alexandria, La., will be 1 p.m. Monday at the Natchez City Cemetery with the Rev. Russell Wagoner officiating.

Burial will follow under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Mr. Crawford was born Sept. 20, 1920, in Franklin Parish, La., the son of Samuel Cook Crawford and Rachel Victoria Seal Crawford.

Vic was an avid hunter and had great tales to tell about quail hunts, rabbit hunts, and deer hunting. He had a great love for beagles and bird dogs. In fact, as a young man, he owned a national champion bird dog, Morpheus Mike.

Vic was a devoted equestrian all of his life, collecting many accolades along the way. Among them being two time president of the Mississippi Paint Horse Association, national accredited paint horse judge, one time judge at national paint horse show, organizing paint horse shows from the Dixie National in Jackson to Cherry Grove Plantation in Natchez. He raised many top quality horses, two of which achieved champion and world champion status.

Vic served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946. He resumed his career with the Illinois Central Railroad Company when he returned from service. He eventually became a locomotive engineer, a position he held for a number of years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Edna Roberta Sandifer Crawford; one daughter, Margaret Patricia Bates Smith; 11 siblings, W.M. Crawford, F.A. Crawford, Dell C. Meadows. Margaret C. Stetson, Addie B.C. Reed, Ernestine C. Smithe, John H. Crawford, Sophie C. Haley, Flora C. Eschenburg, Anna C. Krause and Maxine C. Cox.

Survivors include two sons, Thomas Eugene Bates and wife, Carol, of Oxford and Reginald Victor Crawford of Ben Wheeler, Texas; one granddaughter, Anita Jolene Bates Andrews and husband, Jackie, of Chatham, La.; one great-granddaughter,  Caroline Brooke Wells of West Monroe, La.; one great- great- granddaughter, Ana Brooke Wells of West Monroe; one grandson, Michael Cates and wife, Shannon, of Evans, La.; two great-grandsons, Lucas and Boden Cates of Evans; and a number of nieces and nephews including Larry Crawford of Sicily Island, Vicki Costanza of Harrisonburg, Joan McLemore and Bill Lambert of Natchez.

Online condolences may be sent to lairdfh.com.