Harold Bernard Crawford, age 91, of Towson, MD died peacefully on January 6, 2026, at Gilchrest Center Towson hospice surrounded by family.

Harold was born in Newark, New Jersey, on November 26, 1934, to Harold B. and Florence (née Powers) Crappse. The first in his family to attend college, he proudly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University’s Washington Square College of Arts & Sciences (now the Tisch School of the Arts), graduating in June 1956 with a major in film.

He served his country in the New Jersey National Guard from 1957 to 1964, reflecting his lifelong sense of duty and responsibility. Harold spent 35 years at The McGraw-Hill Companies, building a distinguished career in publishing and retiring in 1997 as Editor-in-Chief of Professional and Reference Books.

Harold was predeceased by his beloved wife of 50 years, Elizabeth (Boehm) Crawford; his sister, Doris Schmidt; and his nephew, Gary Schmidt. He is survived by his devoted daughters, Melanie Crawford and Allison Walsh; his son-in-law, Paul Walsh; his granddaughters, Megan and Claire; and his niece, Gale Bradford. He will be remembered fondly by family and longtime friends as a witty, thoughtful, and deeply sensitive soul.

Throughout his life, Harold cultivated many interests, none more passionately than music. He was an avid attendee of the opera, symphony, and ballet, and amassed an extensive collection of recordings spanning countless composers. He also loved the theatre and movies and was endlessly captivated by the allure of Hollywood. Reading was another favorite pursuit, particularly classical literature and biographies of composers, film producers, and of course his favorite leading lady, Audrey Hepburn.

In his earlier years, Harold took up carpentry, crafting bookcases to house his ever-growing collections of books, music, photographs, memorabilia, and cutting-edge audio equipment. When he and Elizabeth relocated from New Jersey to Maryland in March 2022, he was determined that these carefully curated possessions make the move with him. An enthusiastic traveler, Harold also filled his shelves with photographs from their many journeys together.

Harold delighted in hosting family gatherings at the Crawford home in Matawan, New Jersey, where he relished bartending and, each Christmas, playing Santa while distributing an abundance of gifts. With Elizabeth, he enjoyed completing the New York Times crossword puzzle, playing Scrabble daily, watching classic films on Turner Classic Movies, and cheering on the Mets during baseball season. Their shared love of cats brought three cherished feline companions into their lives over the years: Sabrina, Gilbey, and Scrabble.

Family will receive friends for a Visitation, on Friday, February 6, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M., in Parkview Funeral Home, 7527 Harford Rd, Parkville/Northeast Baltimore.. A private graveside service for inurnment for close friends and family will take place on April 17th, 2026 at Hollywood Memorial Park and Cemetery in New Jersey with additional details to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations in Harold's name may be made to the Gilchrest Center Towson, or to a nonprofit organization of your choosing.