Roger Gale Crase

Roger Crase died in El Paso Texas on March 28, 2026 after a short illness. Roger was born at home on August 20, 1951 to Ethel and James Crase in Crase’s Branch Kentucky. He grew up the third youngest of 9 children and was a standout in baseball and basketball through high school graduation. He moved to Stone Mountain Georgia after graduation where he worked for Hormel meat packing company before being drafted into the Army in 1971. During his time in the service, he served as a Military policeman in Japan where he met his future wife, Vicky Crawford. While in the Army he played basketball on the All-Japan team and traveled for tournaments around Japan and to Hawaii. After his discharge and Vicky’s graduation from college, they moved to Stone Mountain Georgia and a few years later to Port Angeles Washington. In Washington Roger worked as a tree cutter—one of the most dangerous jobs in the woods. After their daughter Laminta was born, Roger and Vicky moved to El Paso, Texas in 1979. Roger graduated from trade school for HVAC and went to work for Federal Civil Service at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, first as a generator tech and then as the supervisor at one of the test facilities. When an opportunity arose for a job in the Warheads division of DOD, he moved to working with explosives, missiles and bombs. He loved his work in Warheads and cherished the friends he made in that division.

Upon retirement, Roger and Vicky traveled the country in their RV, often with their granddaughters and dogs. The loves of Roger’s life were his wife, daughter, granddaughters, family, friends, his animals and Kentucky Wildcats basketball, not necessarily in that order. He was a devoted family man, hard worker and a loyal friend. Roger was known for his sense of humor, work ethic, love of animals and no-nonsense version of common sense.

Roger is survived by his wife of 51 years, Vicky Crawford Crase, his daughter Laminta (Mindy) Bradford (Christopher), his beloved granddaughters Cassandra and Kalliope, his brothers Bob Crase (Phyllis), Charles Crase, James Crase (Ann), Ken Crase, his sister Sue Crase, brother-in-law Rick Crawford (Patricia), uncle Tom Crase, aunt Frances Everidge and numerous nieces and nephews. Also, the people he considered his “adopted” children Diana, Danny and Eric.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Dorothy Jones, and brothers Bill Crase and Don Crase.

Memorial services to be held in Letcher Kentucky at a date to be announced.