James Baxter Crow was born to the late Orveal and Mildred "Midge" Crow on May 22, 1940, in Sand Springs, OK. He was the oldest brother to the late Joe Crow.  On January 31 ^st , 2023, at 10:45 pm James took hold of the Lord's hand and left his earthly body of pain and suffering to go to his mansion just over the hilltop.

James was educated in the public schools of Sand Springs, where he attended Charles Page High School.  It was there he excelled in playing basketball and football.  He also developed a superior work ethic by helping run his family's fruit stand and working as a stone mason with his grandpa Baxter Hill.  But most importantly, his grandpa Hill was a major influence in James accepting Jesus as his personal savior.  James attended a Pentecostal church growing up but, in later years, attended Carmel Free Will Baptist Church.  He met the love of his life at a Fifth Sunday Singing at Fish Creek Free Will Baptist Church in Kinta, OK.  He told one of his buddies that night that he had met the girl he was going to marry.  That statement became reality on September 1, 1959, when James married Francis Lecretia Pugh from Kinta, OK.

He and Lecretia lived in and around the Sand Springs area, where he had an array of jobs in the meat processing industry until he and Lecretia opened their own meat market.  James and Lecretia had four daughters, He always wanted a boy, but the Good Lord had other plans.  However, his girls could mow lawns, check the oil in their cars and load up the boat for fishing and running trotlines.

James grew up within a musical family; his mom and her sisters were known as the Hill Sisters in the fifties and sixties.  He had an amazing tenor voice and played acoustic guitar but what he enjoyed the most was playing the steel guitar and Dobro.

He also found enjoyment in hunting quail and fishing for bass.  His friends would tease him about being the fisher of fish and of men.  He was always busy with his hobbies and riding around on his Harley motorcycle with mom on the back praying.

James accepted his call to ministry and was licensed and ordained on August 16, 1968, by the South Grand River Association, where he also served on the pastoral executive board for many years. He pastored several churches and held many revivals in his fifty years of service.  He officially retired in 2019 but never lost his hunger for the salvation of the souls of men.

James loved visiting the sick and praying for them. His life's mission was to win souls for Christ and to share God's love. He could strike up a conversation with strangers and make them feel like he had known them for years.  He was an example of Christ in word and in deed. He truly fought a good fight and has gone to get his reward.

He leaves cherished memories; his beloved wife, Lecretia of sixty-three years; four daughters; Pam Tyson (David), Kathy Carroll (Rod), Lisa Whitehouse (Justin), and Rhonda Smedley; Eight grandkids, Chris Tyson, Ryan Tyson, Alec Tyson, Katie Wilson, Blaine Carroll, Grace Finnan, Faith Whitehouse, and Kaylee Smedley, thirteen great-grandchildren; and a host of other loving family and friends. James will be deeply missed until we reunite with him one day in Heaven.

For those unable to attend the funeral livestream will be available at: https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/84321