James A Crawford

James A. Crawford died peacefully in his sleep on March 20, 2025, at the age of 75. Born March 11, 1950, in Rochester, N.Y., he was the first child of George and Elizabeth Crawford.

Predeceased by his parents and beloved brother David Crawford, he is survived by his sister Virginia (Fritz) Geen; brother Duncan (Akiko) Crawford; nephews Brandon (Sara) Lynaugh and Scott Lynaugh; great-niece, Taryn Lynaugh; and many children for whom he was a favorite “Uncle Jim.”

He attended Brighton High School and earned a bachelor's degree in education with an art concentration at SUNY Geneseo. For 20 years, Jim worked in the Display Department at McCurdy’s department store. After a brief time with Pike Stained Glass Studios, he joined the Exhibits Department at the Rochester Museum & Science Center, where his specialty was lighting and mount making. When he retired from RMSC, he had been a well-liked employee and colleague for 22 years.

Jim was an avid reader as well as a life-long collector beginning with comic books at an early age, which would continue to be part of his reading menu for the rest of his life. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of Marvel and DC characters and never tired of adding to his collections of superhero figures and other memorabilia. For many years, he enjoyed attending the San Diego Comic Conventions in California with his high-school friend Jeff Gelb.

Later in life he enjoyed frequent trips to Toronto, Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Stratford Festival in Canada and a few trips overseas to England, Scotland, and Greece. Another favorite destination was a movie theatre, where he especially enjoyed films filled with plenty of action--whether classic oldies or new releases. In recent years, he found joy in gardening and loved seeing what would come up from packets of wildflower seeds.

After appearing on a stage for the first time in Dracula, the Vampire at RMSC’s Strasenburgh Planetarium in 1974, James Crawford was hooked. Playing a wide variety of roles in local productions soon revealed him to be a talented actor. He worked with Shipping Dock Theatre, Blackfriars Theatre, Ghost Walk for the Landmark Society, and various other groups.

His theatre home, however, became Rochester Community Players (RCP), where he appeared in 40 productions between 1975 and 2008 and received several acting awards during the years RCP had an end-of-season awards program. Among his favorite roles were Prospero in The Tempest, Lord Morton in Vivat! Vivat Regina! and Joe Keller in All My Sons. He also directed and did scenic design for several plays and served on RCP’s Board of Directors.

Most important of all to Jim were the family and friends who meant everything to him. He valued special traditions developed with them and loved being “Uncle Jim” for two generations of children who easily triggered his well-known booming laugh. He is also remembered as an inveterate storyteller, often elaborating stories a bit more each time. Among his favorites was the laugh-filled week he spent navigating a boat on the Erie Canal with close friends Bill Little and J.G. Fisher. He missed them every day after each one predeceased him.

A Celebration of James Crawford gathering will take place at the Rochester Museum & Science Center in September. For those wishing to make a memorial donation in his honor, the family suggests Rochester Community Players at www.rochestercommunityplayers.org.