Lyle Ross Crafton

CRAFTON, Lyle R. (Age 99) - Lyle was born on July 14, 1918 to William R. and Nellie M. Crafton on a small farm near McMinnville, Oregon. Lyle was 6 years old when the family moved to Portland, Oregon where his father had a Roofing and Shingling business. Lyle started working for his father at the age of 11 and had his own business by age 20, which he followed off and on for most of his adult life.Lyle graduated from Oregon City High School in 1937. He attended Reed College and Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and decided to work full time as a roofer and shingler. While living in Portland, he enjoyed roller skating at the Oaks Roller Rink where he met and married Doris Rivers in 1941. They had a daughter Cheryl Christine in 1944.Lyle joined the U.S. Navy on his 25th birthday, July 14, 1943 and was honorably discharged in 1946. He served as a Navy Shore Patrol Guard for 19 months. He was transferred to a Navy Troop Carrier, the USS Laurens. He went to Okinawa while awaiting his discharge in 1946. In 1948, he bought an interest in a J.I. Case Farm Implement business in Goldendale, WA. He sold this business in 1954 and the next year went to work for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, better known as ASCS. Lyle spent the next 23 years traveling the 39 counties in Washington State. His duties included Training, Auditing, Measuring Fields, Setting up an Aerial Photo Program for Measuring Field Sizes from air.Lyle and Doris divorced in 1956. While performing an audit in Prosser, WA, he met Lucille Campbell. They married in 1957 and she gave him twin sons the next year. Lucille had a daughter, Barbara, who Lyle adopted. In 1971, the family moved to Spokane. Lyle retired from ASCS in 1979. Lyle became active in Boy Scout Troop 130 in 1971. He went on campouts with his sons. He recruited Garry and Mary Anne Montague to be active adult leaders in Troop 130, along with Darrell Peterson and many more. Lyle remained as a Merit Badge Counselor. Lyle, Darrell and Garry received the Scouting Silver Beaver Award for their service from the local Boy Scout Council.He continued roofing and siding until 1993. He claimed the work was getting too heavy for a 75 year old. He had started to work for Garry Montague Heavy Equipment Auctions doing title work on all titled equipment in the 1980's. He continued this work until 2012 when Garry Montague passed away. The Equipment Auctions were held in Spokane, WA, Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Salem, OR, Missoula, MT, Denver, CO, Salt Lake City, UT and Post Falls, ID, among other locations.His wife Lucille passed away from emphysema in 2001 after 44 good years together. Lyle married Laura J. Scognamiglio of Spokane in 2003. Laura liked cruising and Lyle immediately took to it. They went through the Panama Canal twice, visited Alaska, Capitals of Europe and the Mediterranean Islands. Lyle joined the Spokane Eagles Aerie 2 and served as their Auditor from 2004 until 2015. He enjoyed socializing with other members playing Pinochle, Texas Hold'em, and Cribbage, a game he learned at 12. Lyle said he had always had a wonderful life which only got better after he and Laura got together. Laura had a stroke in 2017 followed by a heart attack. She passed away on January 9, 2017. Lyle also lost a twin son to cancer in 2008. Lyle is survived by son, Daniel L. Crafton of Vancouver, WA, daughter Cheryl C. Crafton of Goldendale, WA and daughter Barbara L. Reames of Coeur d'Alene, ID as well as a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and multiple groups of friends. He requested no services or memorial. He just wanted everyone to remember how lucky and happy he had always been. Lyle's final resting place is alongside his wife of 14 years Laura Crafton at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical lake, WA