Joel Crawford

JOEL MARSHALL CRAWFORD

Marion

Joel Marshall Crawford, 26, of Denver, Colo., and formerly of Marion, passed away on May 25, 2015, as a result of a tragic ATV accident.

Joel was an educator, beloved soulmate, friend,

grandson, brother and son.

He was a teacher to 10th- grade scholars at STRIVE SMART High School in Denver, Colo.; brother of Matt (Katie) Crawford of Ames, Iowa, and Drew (Abbey) Crawford of Eden Prairie, Minn.; and the son of Bob and Ruth Crawford of Marion, Iowa. Joel is survived by many loving aunts, uncles and cousins; his paternal grandparents, Harold and Rachel Crawford; and the love of his life, Mackinze Kennedy.

Joel graced this world in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 23, 1989, and moved to Marion, Iowa, in 1990 with his family. Joel graduated from Linn-Mar High School in 2007 and went on to graduate from Iowa State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a degree in English and a minor in Native American Studies.

Joel's professional life was as diverse as his personal life. His work life began as a member of the Linn-Mar Community School District's Buildings and Grounds team in 2006, where he later moved to the Nutritional Services team. In October 2013, Joel and Mackinze set out on their great Colorado adventure. In Colorado, Joel worked as an account manager at TreeHill Landscaping before continuing his education at the University of Denver, where he received his Colorado teaching certificate, and was on track to receive his master's in education this August.

Joel will be remembered for his contagious smile, beautiful and engaging eyes, caring and genuine heart, carefree personality and his willingness to always listen to and help others. Joel had a profound passion for writing, reading, music and nature.

We encourage you to visit CaringBridge.org to get a deeper sense of the impact that Joel has had on all of our lives.

While it's difficult to find brightness during this time, Joel continued to demonstrate his commitment to helping others following his time with us by becoming an organ donor. Joel's gifts will serve hundreds of recipients in the coming years. We praise God for Joel's lifetime of selflessness.

Joel will be forever missed and our wish is that those who know Joel help us honor his caring heart. Memorial donations may be given in Joel's name through any of the Hills Bank branches. Education and teaching were such a big part of Joel's life. We would like to continue his legacy by committing donations made in his name to teacher education and reading programs in Iowa and Colorado in the hope that Joel will continue to impact young students' lives.

In lieu of a visitation, please join us for a celebration of Joel's life at the Lowe Park outdoor amphitheater in Marion, Iowa, at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 1. Joel's celebration will be reflective of his life – outdoors and informal. Please bring lawn chairs, blankets and a book or two to jump start a book drive for his schools. May Joel's life and spirit be a profound example to us all.