Lawanna Crafton

Graveside services for Lawanna A Crafton, age 89, will be held Friday, April 21, 2017 at 11:00am at Dublin Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at Dublin Memorial Gardens one hour before burial services. Dr. Cliff Morris of First Baptist Church will officiate. Mrs. Crafton was born March 2, 1928, in Laurens County, the daughter of the late Walter Lee Avery and the late Lillie Mae Avery of Orianna Road, Orianna, GA. She attended Orianna High School, graduated from Treutlen County High School, and started working in the payroll department at JP Stevens & Co where she meet and married the love of her life, Don C. Crafton. She moved to Hawkinsville in 1960 with her husband and family where she was a housewife and assisted with local, state, and federal elections annually for 20 years. She also worked part time at Slade Jewelry Store in Hawkinsville for 5 years and was a teller at Planter Bank for 5 years. When she returned to Dublin in 1980, she was a teller at Morris State Bank for 5 years before retiring to travel, visiting all 48 contiguous states. The Dublin-Laurens County Leprechaun Committee named Mrs. Crafton Honorary Leprechaun of the year in 1985. She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 65 years, Don C. Crafton; brothers, Vernon Avery of Orianna, Remus Avery of Orianna, Franklin Avery of Mount Vernon; and a sister, Sara Katherine Durden of Orianna. Mrs. Crafton is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Gene A. Crafton (Teresa) of Dublin; a daughter and son-in-law, Linda C. Carlen (Chip), of Cookeville, Tennessee; a grandson, William Ben Carlen IV of Cookeville, Tennessee; a sister, Elaine Stephens of Orianna, several cousins, nieces and nephews. The family extends their gratitude to the staffs at Dublin Place and Serenity Hospice Care for their loving care. Pallbearers will be Calvin Stephens, Michael Stephens, Kim Stephens, Ben Avery, Mike McCarn, and John "Butch" McGowan. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Serenity Hospice Care, 520 Hillcrest Parkway, Dublin, GA 31021. Stanley Funeral Home and Crematory/Dublin Chapel has charge of funeral arrangements.