Ronald Crowder

Roby resident Ronald Burl Crowder, 73, died at his home on May 30, 2021.

Celebration of Life will be held at the First Baptist Church in Rotan, Texas on Saturday June 19, 2021 at 1:00pm for family and friends.

Ron was born January 11, 1948, in San Angelo, Texas. He graduated from San Angelo Central High School in 1966. After graduation, Ron moved to Alaska to follow his father’s footsteps, working in the early years of Alaska’s Oil Industry, settling in the Kenai-Nikiski area. In 2011, Ron left Alaska with his wife Carol, and moved to Roby, Texas.

He was a pioneer in Alaska’s Oil Industry which spanned over nearly 5 decades, working all over Alaska, Texas and even Russia. He worked for VECO, Marathon, Udelhoven, Ch2m Hill, Peak and many more.

Ron was instrumental in building some of the first offshore platforms in Cook Inlet. In 1986, he helped build the largest offshore platform, the Steelhead. Two years later, after the Steelhead had a major fire, Ron received a phone call “no one knows how to rebuild this but you”.

Ron worked on nearly every platform in Cook Inlet, Gulf of Alaska, on the North Slope and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Ron was not afraid of hard work, in fact he embraced it and was a great mentor. He was highly respected by all who knew him. Ron would not ask anything of others that he was not willing to do himself.  He was a skilled people person as a Superintendent, Manager, and consultant. Ron had an incredible work ethic and touched so many peoples lives. He was a fighter and had been in AA for nearly 20 years. He would often say “One day at a time”.

With his love for Alaska, Ron also commercial fished in Bristol Bay. He spent much of his younger years hunting anything that moved. Ron loved to fish for crab, shrimp, salmon, halibut and catfish. He was an excellent cook, as well as canning and smoking fish. If you ever had a phone conversation with him, he was going to tell you what he just ate. He had a dry sense of humor that would sneak up on you.

Ron’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to have several of his own businesses, including KNA Oilfield Services and Alaskan Organics. Most recently he began Crowder’s Customer Milling where he could enjoy his creative wood working talents.

His ashes will be spread at his home in Roby, Texas.

Ron is preceded in death by his father, Bill Crowder; mother, Wanda Crowder; sister, Paula Griffeth; nephew, Kenneth Griffeth.

Survivors include his wife, Carol Crowder of Roby; his ex-wife and longtime friend, Helen Synner;  son, Ronnie Dale Crowder (Peggy) of Whitney Texas; step children, Ed Coates (Shirley) of Moriarty, New Mexico; sister Susan Brown (Dave) of Anchorage; nephew, Clint Griffeth (Alexia); niece, Tanya Hobbs (Josh); and many cousins, friends and co-workers.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to your local food pantry or Salvation Army in Ron’s honor.