To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Arkansas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 12/17/16 • Approved: 7/12/22 • Last Updated: 7/15/22 • R1164318-G0-S3
William 10 May 1931 - 01 Feb 2013
Bonita 29 Sept 1932 -
Marriage: 30 Aug 1953
William Lee Crabtree son of Cleo Barrett. William Lee Crabtree husband of Bonita Ruth (Standerford) Crabtree.
**obituary
Dr. William Lee Crabtree, 81, of Paragould, AR., died Friday, Feb. 1, 2013, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House at Jonesboro.
Dr. Crabtree was born May 10, 1931, in Oil Trough, Arkansas.
Bill was a 1950 graduate of Oil Trough High School and then attended Arkansas College, now Lyon College, from 1950-1953, working during the summer months at car manufacturing plants in Detroit, MI.
He met Bonita in the fall of 1952 and they were married August 30, 1953. Their son, Robert, was born July 8, 1954.
Bill coached basketball at Pleasant Plains, Arkansas, 1953-1955, where his junior team was state runners-up in 1955. He coached the following year at Cave City and then he had a career change repossessing cars for universal CIT for three years. He then decided to get his dental education, taking classes at Memphis State and Arkansas State from 1959-1960. He was accepted into the University School of Dentistry in 1960 and graduated in 1963, where he was a member of the XI Psi Phi Fraternity. Upon graduation, he moved with his family to Paragould and entered practice with the late Dr. B.E. Gill for 6 months until Dr. Gill moved to Heber Springs. Dr. Crabtree remained in private practice, W.L. Crabtree Family Dentistry, until December of 2012.
In his early years in Paragould, he served as president of the Little League Ball Team (1964-1965) and enjoyed visiting with these boys in later years as they became adults. Doc was a member of the Kiwanis Club for 40 years and served in various positions and as president in 1972. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce (1964-2013), ASDA, American Dental Association (1963-2013), receiving the lifetime membership award in 2012. He also was a member of the NE Arkansas Dental Study Club. Sports were always a passion of his and he became a high school basketball official and refereed for seven decades, his last game being in February, 2012. He also was a member of the Red Wolf Club at ASU and could referee from his comfortable seat. His loved golf and claimed to be an avid but non-proficient golfer. In one of the most important decisions of his life, he was baptized into the Church of Christ by Leon Sanderson in 1959. He was an avid member of Seventh and Mueller Church of Christ, loved his church family and strived daily to live up to his commitment.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years; Bonita, of the home; one son: Robert Michael Crabtree of Little Rock; one brother: Harold L. Crabtree of Newport; two special nieces and their spouses: Carlena and Jerry Adams of Jonesboro, Bethany and Lee Benson of Newport; one great niece: Reagan Benson; one great nephews: Corey, Braden and Nathan Adams; one special aunt, June Crabtree of Oil Trough, his wife's cousin, who he fondly regarded as his sister-in-law, Janice Gleghorn, of Batesville and a host of family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Cleo Barrett and grandparents, Bessie and Kelly Crabtree.
Arrangements were by: Heath Funeral Home. His life was celebrated at Seventh and Mueller Church of. There was a private burial in Batesville, AR.
Obituary located through The Jonesboro Sun, Jonesboro, Craighead County, Arkansas Feburary 3, 2013.
Contributed on 12/17/16 by sandhollow
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 1164318