Obituary for Neil Shaw Crawford
It is with broken hearts and an abundance of love that we share the passing of beloved Husband, Father, Brother & Grandfather, Neil Shaw Crawford on January 9, 2023.
Born to James and Elizabeth Pearson Crawford in Glasgow, Scotland on December 6, 1939 - Neil was the third youngest of six children. He grew up playing football (soccer), hiking, and climbing in the highlands with friends. He also loved badminton.
On August 3,1963, Neil married the love of his life Margaret Jane Cullen at Maryhill High Church in Glasgow, which is where they met years earlier while attending high school.
In 1967, Neil and Margaret moved to Canada to attend Expo ‘67 and over the next 25 years they moved many times for Neil’s work making the most of it by building lifelong friendships everywhere they lived from Montreal, to Winnipeg, then back to Montreal, east to Topsail, NFLD, west to Calgary and Okotoks, Alberta, and finally settling in Winnipeg to raise their children Gordon, Isla and Morag.
Neil attended Edinburgh University and started his career working in the Clydebank shipyard in Glasgow. In Canada Neil worked as an electrical engineer for Montreal Engineering and throughout his career, excelled to join the executive team of the company. Later in his career he worked as a consultant to the World Bank on some of the largest energy projects in the world.
Over the years, Neil’s work, and his passion for traveling with Margaret took him all over the world visiting an impressive 62 countries, some many times. It was Thailand and the friendships he made there that won Dad’s heart and for the last 20+ years Neil and Margaret have flown “home” each winter to visit friends that became family and to enjoy the beautiful country.
One of Neil’s life goals was to build a house and in 1990 he completed construction on the family home he designed and built himself with the help of family, friends and young neighbours. Looking for a new challenge, in 2001, Neil answered the call of a close friend to rebuild the “A Frame” cottage on Lake Winnipeg that was destined to be torn down. Less than a decade later, Neil bought the “Pine Cottage” built in 1903 that he fully renovated which was only complete once he built the “Spirit House” inspired by his love of Thailand that sits right on the water’s edge with a sign above the door written in Thai that reads “The Place Where Worries Disappear”. For Neil the lake was his happy place. He loved sitting for hours with Margaret looking out over the lake and inviting friends to visit and most of all making waffles for his grandchildren on Sundays.
Neil is survived by his Wife Margaret, his sister-in-law Iris, his son Gordon (Kerry), daughters Isla (Paul) and Morag (Gary), and his much-loved grandchildren Michelle, Zane, Kylie & Erin Crawford; Callum & Finn Jackson; Lana & Reid Kohut. He is predeceased by his parents and all 5 of his siblings George, David, Marshal, Alan & Linda and his brother-in-law Harold.
A small celebration of Life will be held for family. In leu of flowers a donation can be made to the Lake Winnipeg Foundation or a charity of one’s choice.
A special thank you to all the staff in the clinics and hospitals where Neil was cared for and treated. Each of you went above and beyond to show kindness which was worth more to Neil than anything.
.
Born to James and Elizabeth Pearson Crawford in Glasgow, Scotland on December 6, 1939 - Neil was the third youngest of six children. He grew up playing football (soccer), hiking, and climbing in the highlands with friends. He also loved badminton.
On August 3,1963, Neil married the love of his life Margaret Jane Cullen at Maryhill High Church in Glasgow, which is where they met years earlier while attending high school.
In 1967, Neil and Margaret moved to Canada to attend Expo ‘67 and over the next 25 years they moved many times for Neil’s work making the most of it by building lifelong friendships everywhere they lived from Montreal, to Winnipeg, then back to Montreal, east to Topsail, NFLD, west to Calgary and Okotoks, Alberta, and finally settling in Winnipeg to raise their children Gordon, Isla and Morag.
Neil attended Edinburgh University and started his career working in the Clydebank shipyard in Glasgow. In Canada Neil worked as an electrical engineer for Montreal Engineering and throughout his career, excelled to join the executive team of the company. Later in his career he worked as a consultant to the World Bank on some of the largest energy projects in the world.
Over the years, Neil’s work, and his passion for traveling with Margaret took him all over the world visiting an impressive 62 countries, some many times. It was Thailand and the friendships he made there that won Dad’s heart and for the last 20+ years Neil and Margaret have flown “home” each winter to visit friends that became family and to enjoy the beautiful country.
One of Neil’s life goals was to build a house and in 1990 he completed construction on the family home he designed and built himself with the help of family, friends and young neighbours. Looking for a new challenge, in 2001, Neil answered the call of a close friend to rebuild the “A Frame” cottage on Lake Winnipeg that was destined to be torn down. Less than a decade later, Neil bought the “Pine Cottage” built in 1903 that he fully renovated which was only complete once he built the “Spirit House” inspired by his love of Thailand that sits right on the water’s edge with a sign above the door written in Thai that reads “The Place Where Worries Disappear”. For Neil the lake was his happy place. He loved sitting for hours with Margaret looking out over the lake and inviting friends to visit and most of all making waffles for his grandchildren on Sundays.
Neil is survived by his Wife Margaret, his sister-in-law Iris, his son Gordon (Kerry), daughters Isla (Paul) and Morag (Gary), and his much-loved grandchildren Michelle, Zane, Kylie & Erin Crawford; Callum & Finn Jackson; Lana & Reid Kohut. He is predeceased by his parents and all 5 of his siblings George, David, Marshal, Alan & Linda and his brother-in-law Harold.
A small celebration of Life will be held for family. In leu of flowers a donation can be made to the Lake Winnipeg Foundation or a charity of one’s choice.
A special thank you to all the staff in the clinics and hospitals where Neil was cared for and treated. Each of you went above and beyond to show kindness which was worth more to Neil than anything.
.