A memorial service will be held Wednesday for a well-known retired local attorney and judge. Linton Kimzey Crawford, Jr. passed away at his residence in Cornelia on Saturday, September 2, following an extended illness. He was 77.
Known as “Kim,” Crawford was a lifelong resident of Habersham County who dedicated his life to public service.
A man of ‘impeccable character’
During his nearly 40-year legal career, Crawford served as a real estate, corporate, and government attorney, including sixteen years as attorney for the Habersham County Board of Education. He served as a municipal court judge for Tallulah Falls and Clarkesville and spent thirteen years on the bench as Habersham County state court judge. In 2010, Judge Crawford was appointed as a superior court judge in the Mountain Judicial Circuit. He retired from the bench in 2012.
Following the news of Judge Crawford’s death, attorney and Habersham County Commissioner Bruce Harkness paid tribute to him on social media.
“I first met the judge when he was an attorney, and I was just a teen bagging his groceries at Winn-Dixie when it was in downtown Cornelia. I always admired and respected him, and as a young man, I wanted to grow up and be like Mr. Kim Crawford,” Harkness wrote. “His impeccable character has always remained all through his life. He was honest and fair. He treated me like a son, and I will always love and respect him and appreciate his kindness to me.”
A long line of lawyers and life of service
Crawford’s legal career was unsurprising, given his family roots. His grandfather was an attorney, his father was a state court solicitor, and his brother Mike served as Habersham County’s District Attorney.
Judge Crawford’s public service, though, extended beyond the courtroom.
He spent over three years in the U.S. Navy, serving two tours in Vietnam. After leaving active duty in 1972, he continued with the U.S. Navy Reserve’s Intelligence Division, retiring in 1990 with the rank of Commander.
Judge Crawford was an active member of his community, serving on the Habersham County Hospital Authority and in various civic and professional organizations. He also was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Cornelia, where he served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher and sang in the sanctuary choir.
Memorial service
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, in Demorest. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from noon until 1:45 p.m. prior to the service.
Beyond his public persona, Crawford’s family remembers him as a loving husband and a devoted father and grandfather.
Crawford is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sonja Martin Crawford, their daughter and son, and two grandchildren.
Obituary Linton Kimzey “Kim” Crawford, Jr.
