Peter H. Crawford

Peter Hamilton Crawford, 91, passed away on September 28, 2020 at Rivermead Retirement Community in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

He grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio and graduated from University School and Kenyon College.  After his military service at Fort Erie he earned his PhD in economics from Columbia University.  Following several years of teaching at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, he took a position as an economist for Citicorp in New York City where he worked for over 30 years and had become one of their chief economists at the time of his retirement.  He gave speeches throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Australia about the economy, and recorded a monthly subscription broadcast known as “The Sound of the Economy.”

Peter always carried at least one book with him and read during any idle moment, primarily non-fiction, his interests including history, religion, and science.    He had a generous and charitable spirit and supported many causes.  After retirement, he volunteered at the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter through the Brick Presbyterian Church, and provided financial expertise to The Church of St. Edward the Martyr, both in Manhattan.

Peter and his first wife, Daphne Ormsbey, raised their family in Montclair, New Jersey; that marriage ended in divorce.  He was predeceased by their son Geoffrey.  In 1979, he married the late Louise Deitz Crawford.  They lived in Manhattan and together enjoyed painting, reading, and travelling.  Over the course of 20 years they explored the large, interconnected network of French canals and one in England by renting and piloting barges on repeated visits to the deep countryside.  In 2010, he and Louise moved to Peterborough.

Peter is survived by his son Douglas (Yongping) and grandson Skye of San Francisco, sisters Nancy Thornley (John) of Truro, Massachusetts and Cornelia Allan of Mountainside, New Jersey, stepson James Gilroy of Paris, and stepdaughter Catherine Eby (Richard) and grandson Cole of Francestown.