John Hiram Crabtree, was born November 14, 1924, in Latham, Kansas. He was the 7th of 9 children to Margaret Flossie “Maggie” (Swisher) and William Everett “Bill” Crabtree.

He was married to Anna May (Parker) on May 15, 1943, in El Dorado, Kansas. Together they lived in Latham, Leon, and El Dorado. He worked at Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas, as a heat treater in the tool and die department from 1951 to 1986 (35 years). During his retirement years, John enjoyed gardening, camping at bluegrass festivals, traveling around the United States on his motorcycle, and woodworking where he made clocks of all sizes. In October, 2007, they moved to the Houston area, where May went into an assisted-living facility and John moved into an independent apartment in the same facility in Kingwood, Texas. In 2013, John moved into an assisted-living facility in Spring, Texas. In October 2016, John was moved to an assisted-living facility in Warrenton, Virginia, to live near his son, Larry. John passed away on Sunday, March 19, 2017, in Warrenton, Virginia, with his son, Larry by his side. He was 92 years old.

John was preceded in death by his wife, parents, all his siblings, and a son, LeRoy Crabtree.  He is survived by his son and his wife, Larry and Annie (Seward) Crabtree of Warrenton, Virginia; 3 grandchildren, Christine (Crabtree) Allen of Great Bend, Kansas, Chris Crabtree of Springfield, Virginia, and Steffanie (Crabtree) Barnard of Anchorage, Alaska; and 8 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held in Latham, Kansas Memorial Day weekend.

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