Karen Elaine (Irelan) Crawford, 75, of Milan, Missouri, passed away Saturday, May 2, 2026, at University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, Missouri.
Karen was born September 13, 1950, in Unionville, Missouri, to Lowell and Neva (Lunsford) Irelan. On March 22, 1969, she married Lanny Crawford, he survives of the home. Also surviving are: two children, Kristy and husband Trevor Pickering of Powersville, Missouri, and Rick and wife Sara Crawford of Denison, Iowa; grandchildren, Justin, Tristan, Robert, Sophie Karen; a sister, Kendra Thorn of Kansas City; sister-in-law, Karen Gooch of Boynton, Missouri; brother-in-law, John Berry of Unionville; and several nieces and nephews.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Bud and Doris Crawford; brother, Bob Irelan; sister, Dolores Berry; brothers-in-law, Dick Crawford and Wayne Gooch; and sister-in-law, Janet Crawford.
Karen attended Green City school from kindergarten until graduation in 1968, she then attended NWSU (Truman State) as a piano major, transitioning to Music Education, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1987. She attended William Woods where she earned her master’s degree of Education and Curriculum in 1998. Karen was an Adjunct Asst. Professor at Arizona School of Health Sciences.
Karen was a member of the Unionville First Baptist Church. She was a church music director and church pianist and organist. Karen also gave piano lessons to numerous students and was a pianist at funerals and weddings. Karen enjoyed gardening, playing hymns on the piano, quilting, embroidery, and making homemade greeting cards. She also loved tending to her chickens, following her favorite sports teams, and making “Neva’s Noodles” for her friends and family.
Funeral services for Karen will be held 11:00 AM, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Ruschmeier-Smith Funeral Home in Milan, Missouri. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery, north of Milan. A visitation is scheduled for one hour prior to the service, starting at 10:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Elmwood Cemetery, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or Ellis Fischel Cancer Center.
