Crittenden, William

William James Crittenden was born on 8 August 1927, with his twin sister Wilma Jane, in Whitesville, New York to Harold Cline Crittenden and Clio Martha Ainsworth Crittenden.  Along with his older brother, Harold Cline Crittenden Jr, Bill, and his sister attended public schools in Armonk, New York where his father was principal. Bill attended Forestry School at Syracuse University for two years and then enlisted in the US Marine Corps as a surveyor. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in Hawaii and met his future wife in Honolulu. He returned to Syracuse University to complete his degree and married Mabel Parke Shields in 1949 and graduated in 1950. That same year, Bill and Rusty welcomed their first child, Daniel James Crittenden. Bill remained at Syracuse University another year to complete a master’s degree in Outdoor Education.

Bill accepted his first teaching position at a high school in Campbell, New York. In 1952, Bill enrolled in a sugarcane management trainee program at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. In 1953, Bill and Rusty welcomed their first daughter, Carol Leilani Crittenden. Bill accepted an agricultural management position at Grove Farm Plantation on Kauai and moved his growing family to Koloa, where his next son Donald Robert Crittenden was born in 1954 and his next daughter Kathleen Noelani Crittenden was born in 1959. In 1960, Bill accepted his second teaching position located in Hollister, California. Bill moved his family back to Hilo, Hawaii in 1962 where he accepted a research position at the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association. In 1964, Bill and Rusty welcomed their third son, Thomas Harold Crittenden. In 1970, Bill moved his family to Sonora, California where he held several teaching positions until he accepted his final teaching position as the Outdoor Education Teacher for the Regional Learning Center, operated by the Clovis School District. Bill retired in 1992 after 16 years in agriculture and 25 years of teaching.

In 1995, Bill’s oldest son, Daniel James Crittenden, died and in 1998, Rusty died after 49 years of marriage. In 2005, Bill moved to Canyon City, Oregon where he married Imogean Patsy Armstrong and Bill’s family grew to include Patricia Armstrong Holliday, Robert Michael Armstrong and Gregory Thomas Armstrong. After living an active life of 93 years entirely devoted to serving the Lord Jesus Christ, Bill went to be with his Lord and Savior on 7 Jul 2021.

Bill is survived by his large family, including his wife, Imogean, and by his children, Carol, Don, Kathy, Tom, and by Imogean’s children, Pat, Bob, Greg, and by his grandchildren, Jessica, Tim, Jennifer, Ryan, Stefanie, Tyler, Chris, Maricela, Emma, Chloe, and by Imogean’s grandchildren, Catlyn, Ree, Tilli, Jennifer, Nick, Ben, Jessica, Brad, and by his great-grandchildren, and by his family’s special friend, Alwin Okuna and honorary grandson John Baum. Bill will be interred at Mountain Shadow Cemetery in Sonora, California.

Memorial contributions can be made to the John Day Church of The Nazarene Missions through, Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, Oregon 97845.

To leave an online condolence for the family please visit, www.driskillmemorialchapel.com.

• Date of Death: 07/07/2021
• Age: 93
• Residence: Sonora, CA