Richard Leon Crago

RICHARD LEON CRAGO Richard Leon Crago of Vero Beach was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1925. He was the son of Laura Monfort Crago and Alfred Crago, Ph.D. He came with his family to Gainesville, Florida in 1929 when his father became a professor at the University of Florida. He was graduated from P.K. Yonge High School, the Laboratory School of the University of Florida. He served in the United States Army in Italy from 1944-1946. He was graduated with highest honors from the University of Florida in 1948. At the University he was a member of Phi Delta Theta social fraternity, Florida Blue Key, Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Delta Chi. He spent his career as a sports broadcaster. For the 1947-48 football season, he was the last student play-by-play announcer for the University of Florida. He broadcast football games for Mississippi State University for five years and for the University of Mississippi for two years. He is believed to be the only person to have been the play by play announcer for three of the original SEC football teams. He was a sports announcer for radio station WCBI in Columbus, Mississippi and manager of radio station WTSP in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was co-owner and later sole owner of radio station W.A.X.E. in Vero Beach from 1963 through 1986. A founding member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, he was also an officer and board member of the Florida Sportscasters Association. He was probably best known in Vero Beach as the voice of the Dodgers. For forty years he was the public address announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers' Spring Training games. As a member of Vero Beach Country Club, he enjoyed many years of playing golf, and had a circle of very close golfing friends. He married his life mate Harriett Kirk of Jacksonville in 1947; they had three daughters, Laura Crago Kauffmann, Mary Crago Weathersby and Faith June Crago. For many years he sang in the Vero Beach Choral Society, including two concerts at Carnegie Hall. All of his adult life he sang in his church choirs, most recently at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach where he was a member and elder. With his wife he enjoyed extensive world travel. He was predeceased by his three siblings Jean Crago, John Crago, M.D., Ann Crago King and his daughter, Faith June Crago. He is survived by his much loved wife Harriett Kirk Crago and his children Laura Crago Kauffmann and Alan Kauffmann of Vero Beach, Mary Crago Weathersby of Spring Hill, Florida, in-laws Lillian Kirk Pilkington and John Pilkington, Ph.D. of Oxford, Mississippi, sister-in-law Delores Johnson Crago of Gainesville, Florida, grandchildren Ainsley Kauffmann Seeley and Scott Seeley of Vero Beach, John and Briana Weathersby of Harrisburg, PA" Kiera Kauffmann Black of Vero Beach and eight great- grandchildren. A memorial service will be held 11 AM, Saturday July 9, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church, Vero Beach. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the building fund of First Presbyterian Church, 520 Royal Palm Boulevard, Vero Beach 32960. Arrangements are under the direction of Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach. An online guest book may be signed at www. lowtherfuneralhome.com. paid obituary