Gayle Crawford of Craig, Missouri, will celebrate his 90th birthday this Sunday, August 16. Pictured is Gayle as a youngster and Gayle in more recent years. (Submitted photos)

Submitted by Mound City News

Gayle Crawford, Craig, Missouri, will celebrate his 90th birthday this Sunday, August 16, 2026, marking an incredible milestone and a life filled with family, hard work, community, and nearly six decades of Kansas City Chiefs football.

Gayle was born on August 16, 1936, in Picher, Oklahoma. He later moved to the Kansas City area, where he and his wife, Sharon Crawford, raised their three children – Pam Hancock Larson, Jerry Crawford, and Deb Templeton – in Independence, Missouri.

Gayle spent 28 years with Teamsters Local 838 in Kansas City, including serving as president. During the early years of Arrowhead Stadium, Gayle helped set up and organize workers there for its first two years. Through that work, he received Kansas City Chiefs season tickets in 1969 – and his family has kept those same season tickets ever since.

Now, nearly 60 years later, Chiefs football remains a treasured family tradition. What began with Gayle’s work at Arrowhead has been passed down through generations, with his family continuing to fill those seats and cheer on the Chiefs year after year.

After retiring, Gayle and Sharon moved to their farm near Craig in 1993 to be closer to family. Over the years, the farm became a gathering place for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and allowed Gayle and Sharon to be present for countless family milestones.

Gayle has spent many years cheering on his grandchildren from the sidelines, watching them play sports, attending school plays and performances, and celebrating graduations and other accomplishments. Several of his grandchildren graduated from Tarkio (Missouri) High School, further connecting the Crawford family to the surrounding community.

As Gayle celebrates 90 years, his family is grateful for the memories, traditions, stories, and experiences he has passed down through generations. His life has been defined by hard work, dedication, perseverance, a love of family, and strong ties to the communities he has called home.

Family members and friends may send birthday cards to Gayle at 20355 Holt 147, Craig, MO 64437.