Vernon O. Crawley

Dr. Vernon O. Crawley, 89, of Downers Grove, Illinois, died May 30 after a long illness. The youngest child and last living of 12 children born to his parents Joseph and his wife, Ruth Adkins Crawley, he was raised on a farm in Charles City, Virginia.

A loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather, he is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Betty Wood Crawley. He was so proud of his children, Alan (Melissa), and twins, Vonda Crawley and Keith (Onney), and a genuinely delightful grandfather to his grandchildren, Joshua, Julian, and Jason Crawley. He was predeceased by his siblings, Joseph (Gracie), Floyd (Bertha), Thomas (Anna), Roosevelt Sr. (Margie), Penning (Dorothy), Carlton, Sr. (Emma), Beecher (Norris), Carold (Addie), Ada Crawley Jackson (Siberia) Lillian Crawley Bradby (Sanford, Sr.), and Ronald (Brenda).

Beloved by his faculty and staff, Dr. Vernon O. Crawley, a highly praised educator, served as president of Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills in a suburb of Chicago, retiring after 21 years of service. The college serves 46,000 students annually and is one of the largest colleges in Illinois. He built the college into a beautiful university-like campus, a gem in the southwest suburbs. The Board of Trustees of the college to show their honor and respect for Dr. Crawley’s excellent work and dedication while he was still serving as president to Moraine Valley named the newly erected science building Crawley Hall. Prior to his presidency at Moraine, he served for 13 years as president of St. Louis Community College at Forest Park and as an academic dean at Mercer County Community College in Trenton, New Jersey. Dr. Crawley served in administrative and faculty positions at Dundalk Community in Baltimore, Maryland, a college he helped to found; Pennsylvania State University; Morgan State University in Baltimore; Towson University in Baltimore, and Ruthville High School in Charles City, Virginia.

Prior to his time in education Dr. Crawley served as an administrative specialist in science for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Washington, D.C. and as a chemist at Stuart Products Company in Richmond, Virginia.

Well known in his field, Vernon Crawley served on the board of noted national organizations, including the Board of the American Association of Community Colleges; the League for Innovation; Community Colleges for International Development; the North Central Association, the accrediting agency’s Review Committee and Institutional Actions Council; the American Council on Education’s Commission on Minorities in Higher Education; the National Advisory Group—Expanding Leadership Opportunities for Minorities in Community Colleges; the Council on Higher Education Accreditation; the American Council on Black American Affairs, and the Walt Disney World College Advisory Committee.

Locally, he served on several organizations in the Chicagoland area, including the Workforce Investment Board for Cook County; the Economic Development Corporation for the Southwest Suburbs; the National Louis University Community Leadership Presidents Advisory Council, and the Oak Lawn Rotary. He was chair of the Board of Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois and an active member of Hillcrest Baptist Church of Country Club Hills where he served as chairman of the Finance Committee.

Dr. Crawley was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the 2009 American Community College Trustees (ACCT) National Marie Y. Martin CEO Award; the 2009 ACCT Central Region CEO Award; the Pacesetter Award from the National Council on Marketing and Public Relations; the Outstanding Leadership Award from the National Council on Black American Affairs; the Leadership Award from the National Council of Learning Resources, the Distinguished Scientist Award from Project SUCCESS/Charles City County Public Schools; the Eugene Simpson Community Leadership Award from the Palos Area Chamber of Commerce; and the 2012 Phi Theta Kappa Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award. Moraine Valley created the Vernon O. Crawley Leadership Award to honor administrative staff who demonstrate the leadership qualities of Dr. Crawley. It is a highly prized honor.

A most honorable man, at the heart of his career, Dr. Crawley was most proud of his dedication to student success. It was the keystone of his professional life. He and his wife Betty gave multiple scholarships to Moraine’s students to aid in their completion efforts. Also, Dr. Crawley was a committed and excellent mentor to many, leading a number of his mentees to college presidencies and other successful careers. Having departed after a life well-lived, Dr. Vernon O. Crawley leaves a legacy of changing lives for a changing world.

Vernon Crawley earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, a master’s degree from the University of Virginia, and his doctorate from Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. He also studied at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and American University in Washington, D.C.

A visitation was held on Thursday, June 11, 2026, 3-9 p.m. at the Robert J. Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 9000 W. 151st Street, Orland Park, IL.

Lying in state will be on Friday, June 12, 2026, 10:00 a.m. until time of Service 11:00 a.m. at Christ Church – Oak Brook, 501 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, IL. A live stream link will be available just prior to the Service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Dr. Vernon Crawley Scholarship Fund at Moraine Valley Community College https://www.morainevalley.edu or a check payable to Moraine Valley Foundation, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, IL 60465 in Vernon’s memory would be greatly appreciated. You may also do a donation to your favorite charity in Vernon’s memory instead.