Calumet Citys Mayor Honors Oldest Resident

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L-R Calumet City Mayor, Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush and CP Crawford. At 106 years old, Crawford is Calumet Citys oldest living resident. Photo: Victory Centre of River Oaks
L-R Calumet City Mayor, Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush and CP Crawford. At 106 years old, Crawford is Calumet Citys oldest living resident. Photo: Victory Centre of River Oaks

On Nov. 30, Calumet City Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush visited the Victory Centre of River Oaks to spread a little holiday cheer and to formally honor CP Crawford. At 106 years old, Crawford is the towns oldest living resident.

CP Crawford was born in Jackson, MS on Aug. 25, 1905. Named after a traveling Southern preacher, CP is his actual name, not his initials. Crawford parents died when he was just two years old. He was then raised by an aunt and uncle who were sharecroppers.

During his formative years, Crawford picked cotton in Mississippi. He says he regrets never having a formal education which is why he came to Chicago in 1949 in search of a better life and worked for Norfolk Southern Railroad for 15 years.

Crawford was married three times but never had any biological children. Prior to moving to Victory Centre in September 2011, Crawford had been living alone.

I still enjoy smoking, fishing and playing cards, he said.

During the ceremony, Mayor Qualkinbush presented Crawford with a plaque on behalf of the county board recognizing him as the oldest living resident in Calumet City.

After the presentation, residents crowded Victory Centres dining room to partake in a savory meal prepared by Dal Santos Sausage and Catering. Staff from the Mayors office served the residents chicken, potatoes, mostaccioli, dinner rolls and salad.

Hosting the annual holiday meal is a tradition that was passed on to Mayor Qualkinbush.

Every year for the past eight years weve come out and tried to bring Christmas cheer and provide a nice dinner for the residents, said Qualkinbush.

Following dinner, Victory Centre residents were entertained by an Elvis impersonatoran annual resident request.

by Abbra Stiffend

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