Obituary of Leonard Crisp

Leonard Charles Crisp Born: March 5, 1913 Place of Birth: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Death: April 25, 2011 Tucson, Arizona Organization: Lifetime member of Freemasonry Work History: Draftsman, Home Builder, Tool and Die Maker, Aeronautics Design Engineer, Self-employment. Leonard C. Crisp, a resident of Tucson, AZ, formerly of Hot Springs, Arkansas, passed away peacefully of natural causes. He was the son of English immigrants Thomas and Annie Crisp. His wife Margaret preceded him in death March 17, 2010 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His eight children survive him, as well as fifteen grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Three wives preceded him in death. In 1937 he married Eleanor Richardson Hubbell in Albany, NY, and born to them were Helen Crisp of Glendora, CA; Dorothy Pendergrass of San Ramon, CA; Thomas Crisp of Tucson, AZ; Charles Crisp of Clayton, GA; and Linda Mulay of Grass Valley, CA. In 1950 he married Marian LaVonne Kooi in Anchorage, AK, and born to them were Victoria Crisp of Hot Springs, AR; David Crisp of Herberton, Queensland, Australia; and Bonnie Claassen of Kensington Park, South Australia, Australia. In 1979 he married Catherine Margaret Gillis in Montreal, Canada. Leonard lived in many places during his 98 years of life. Chronologically, they are: Alberta, Canada; Florida; New York; California; Alaska; Washington; Queensland, Australia; Texas; Arkansas; and Arizona. Briefly in the mid-1930s Leonard was a draftsman with Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY. In the 1940s he was a self-employed home building contractor in the Los Angeles area. In the 1950s he was a tool and die maker with Boeing Aircraft Co. in Seattle, WA. In the mid-1960s his title was Aeronautics Design Engineer with Hughes Aircraft Company in El Segundo, CA. He was part of a team for the unmanned Lunar Soft Landing Vehicle Program and the production of Surveyor 1. The team’s focus was the collection arm of the vehicle. A near fatal motorcycle accident in 1967 rendered Leonard handicapped. The family moved to Queensland, Australia in 1969 and from then on he was self-employed in different capacities. Leonard “marched to a different drummer” and he was constantly thinking outside the box. He was a dreamer who was enthusiastic, confident, adventurous, and ambitious. He pursued many creative ideas with passionate action, particularly a debit plan using the US banking system that was to totally eliminate the paying of taxes. He loved wood, and he worked with it in both practical ways and many creative ways. Leonard loved all “his babies.” And his children loved him. They will remember many happy times with their father.