Donald Richardson Crain

Donald Richardson "Don" Crain Jr, 77, passed away Wednesday, September 27, 2023, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Don was born in Jacksonville, FL, to the late Donald R. Crain and Mary Frances Turner Crain. He spent his growing up years near Jacksonville, FL and Nashville, TN, graduating from Donelson High School in 1964. He graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a degree in civil engineering in 1969, leading him to a 40 plus year career with the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Over those forty years and multiple cities, Don's career involved him in a variety of engineering projects ranging from dams and water projects, managing military construction projects to taking on disaster relief efforts. Some of his favorite worksites included hurricane Agnes (1972), the Xenia tornado (1974), hurricane Katrina (2005), time in Monterey, California and even two months in Baghdad, Iraq.

During his career, he and Joyce lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jamestown, Kentucky, Corinth, Mississippi and Clarksville, Tennessee (working at Fort Campbell military base). He enjoyed sharing his time (and engineering skills) with the Royal Ambassadors at the churches he attended in Cincinnati and Corinth and had the best derby cars around. While living in Tulsa, Don also enjoyed being a docent at the Tulsa Zoo and being active with the Tulsa Rock & Mineral club. (He has a well acquired rock collection to show for it).

Don was also very interested in researching his family history and enjoyed trips to Rupert, Vermont, and St. Augustine, FL. looking for his ancestors.

Don and Joyce loved to travel. Their trips with First Baptist Church Clarksville, TN included Brazil, China and Tunisia. Their retirement travels took them from Hawaii and Alaska to Maine, and to everywhere between, with one of his favorite destinations being St. George Island, Florida.

A highlight for "Papa Don" in his retirement was being around his six grandchildren and watching countless hours of their football, baseball, soccer, softball, and pig shows. He may have been quiet on the outside, but the wheels were always humming on the inside and for all this he will be remembered and missed. A great joy was having all 42 of his family together in Tennessee last year for a good time gathering.

He will be missed by his wife Joyce Hall Crain, his children Chris and Jesse Crain, Nicholas and Melissa Crain Ireland; grandchildren Carson, Connor, and Josie Crain, Jenks, Oklahoma; Lucas, Finneas and Owen Ireland, Pelham, Alabama; brother Mike Crain (Debbie), Hendersonville, TN; Mary Lynn Hamilton, Nashville, TN; and all the nephews and nieces and their families.

The family will have a celebration of life gathering at his favorite beach at a later time.

In Don's honor, please consider donating a LEGO/DUPLO set, a STEM toy, or a toy construction vehicle to a Salvation Army or community resource for children near you.

Arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt's Glenpool-Bixby Funeral Service & Cremation Care Centers, 1329 East 151st Street, Glenpool, OK 74033. Family and friends may leave kind words of comfort, special memories and condolences to the family online at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com