Lee Elaine Crawford

Crawford, Lee Elaine: It is with deep grief and loss that we announce the passing of Lee Crawford on November 23, 2025. Lee was born at St Paul's Hospital, April 18, 1957. Her parents Norah and Bob Crawford, raised Lee and (Jan) in North Vancouver eventually moving to Penticton in 1964. Growing up on an orchard overlooking Penticton surrounded by fruit trees gave Lee a love for the land that lasted a life time. After graduating from Penticton High School in 1976, with an interest in journalism, Lee moved to Calgary. Lee then obtained a degree in Child and Youth Care from the University of Victoria, then received a degree in Counselling Psychology from UVIC. Lee was certified as a Registered Clinical Counsellor in 1992. Through the BC Association of Registered Clinical Counsellors, Lee obtained an M.ED in Counselling Psychology from UBC. In 2009, Lee became a registered Art Therapist, BCATR. Lee devoted her life to healing others using her many acquired skills. She specialized in the life-long impact of adoption, cancer issues and survivorship, trauma, art therapy and EMDR. Lee provided counselling for children, youth, couples and adults from 1988, and art therapy from 2002. Lee helped write adoption related legislation in BC and was respected for her work in adoption. Lee was devoted to healing, her career becoming her life work. Lee practiced as a registered clinical counsellor for 35 years devoted to healing and providing psycho-educational counsel to her clients. A passion of Lee's was the belief in Art Therapy as a powerful technique for healing. It was her future goal to become a supervisor for art therapy students requiring supervision. Lee also planned on writing a book on Adoption about her adoption story, and including a self help component. In 1994 Lee met her husband to be, Alan Leader. In 2001 September 11, they were married. Their life together involved travel to Europe, England, Greece, Italy, Thailand, Mexico and several golf holidays in Hawaii. Lee's hobbies involved cooking and entertaining. She and Alan hosted many dinner parties with their Bernese Mountain dog under the table. Among her friends she was known as Martha-Lee after Martha Stewart, for the fabulous skill and attention to detail she brought to every aspect of entertaining. Pool parties, Easter and Christmas dinners, New Years cocktail parties and Birthdays. "Martha-Lee" was known for her Christmas cookies, an anticipated part of the season for the past thirty years. Lee's favorite time of the year was Thanksgiving. Sometimes at the Orchard house it was a celebration feast like only Lee could orchestrate. Lee lived her life in many circles: Her life with Alan and their dog Pippin, and the friends they shared as a couple. Her family, close girlfriends, her supportive colleagues and counselling community and last her smallest group; Lee and I as twin sisters. Lee was a spiritual supportive and giving woman, who valued and loved being in nature. She loved golf, ballet, live music, art and her movie discussion group. Lee was respected and loved. Her absence from these groups will be felt by all who knew her. "We love you Lee." Lee is survived by her twin sister Jan Crawford, her husband, Alan Leader, sister Shauna Seegmiller (Ken), her cousin Penna Ranta, (Christa and Brock) her nieces, Sherry Stewart, Ali Abel, her nephews Ryan Lomas (Robin Stickley), Reid Lomas (Sandra). Lee was a Great Aunt to Taylor Stewart, Chase Stewart, Lachlan Abel, AJ Abel and Luke Lomas. Lee was regarded as "Auntie Lee" by her close girlfriends Dianne Ferguson's sons: Ian and Neil and Wendy Hibberd's daughters: Emily and Nicole. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the BC Cancer Agency. A Celebration of Life will be held in Vancouver at a later date. Please contact crawfordart@telus.net for more information.