Obituary
Charles Linfield Crowder
b. Nov. 13, 1929 - d. Dec. 24, 2010


Picture of Linfield Crowder in High SchoolDr. Charles Linfield Crowder was ushered into the presence of the Lord by the angels on Friday, December 24, 2010 at 10:00 A.M.

Linfield was born in American Falls November 13, 1929, and taken home to the homestead of his parents, Charles David Crowder and Elizabeth (Dille) Crowder, the Dille House built by Heber Dille in Neeley, ID. Soon afterward his family moved to American Falls. When Linny was 13 years old they moved into their home on Garfield Street where he lived for most of his life.

He had five siblings: a brother Kelly and four sisters, Alice, Ruth Mary, Margo, and Gracie. He attended high school in American Falls, played on the basketball team the years they won two state championships, and graduated in 1948. He went on to attend Northwest Bible Institute where he met and married his sweetheart, the love of his life, Nellie Luella Fuller. Linfield was a very loving and devoted husband. He nicknamed his adored wife Nellie Blue because of her fondness for the color blue.

Picture of Linfield later in lifeReverend Crowder pioneered an Assembly of God Church in Kuna, ID, and also served for a time as a Juvenile Court judge and worked as a lifeguard on the side. He went into Evangelistic work and fathered four daughters who he nicknamed Princess, Sugar Bowl, Angel, and Sunshine.

Dr. Crowder was known to some as the “Man of many Ministries”. For over 50 years he was involved in world evangelism, preaching revivals, crusades, camp meetings, youth camps, minister’s institutes, and Spiritual Emphasis revivals at Bible Colleges. He was also known as the ‘Man of a thousand teenage friends’ as he led many teens as well as others to know Jesus Christ.

These ministries took him into all 50 states and 60 countries of the world. On March 29, 1956, he was ordained as a minister with the Idaho District of the Assemblies of God and in 1960 he received appointment as a missionary evangelist for overseas evangelism. As such he traveled to over 60 countries of the world with 34 trips to the Marshall Islands. In 1969 he was honored to be the speaker at the Sunday evening service of the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Dallas, TX, where there were approximately 10,000 delegates in attendance.

He was the Spiritual Emphasis speaker for Northwest University in Kirkland, WA, the most times in their history and they honored him as Alumnus of the Year and then with an Honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1986.

Dr. Crowder was well known for his preaching on Bible prophecy, science, and current events as he correlated the three. He was considered by some to be one of the top Bible preachers in our nation during his generation. One of the loves of his life was taking people on Bible tours to the Holy Land and during his life he led 54 tours to Israel.

Dr. Crowder helped start a movement called Craftsmen for Christ. The name was later changed to Mission America Placement Service (MAPS). It is a ministry of the Assemblies of God U.S. Missions that coordinates volunteers to assist churches and ministry institutions with construction and evangelism projects.

He is survived by his loving wife, Nellie Blue, of American Falls; four daughters, Linelle Patrick of Meridian, ID, Alice Taylor of Twin Falls, ID, LeiLani Mussell of Payette, ID, and Sarah Van Sell of Boise, ID, along with his sons-in-law and 13 grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by his sisters, Alice Trumblee of Idaho Falls, ID, Margo Plum of Corpus Christie, TX, and Gracie LaBombard of Silverdale, WA.

There are many hundreds of people who knew him as their spiritual father, friend, and mentor. Many of them he called ‘fifth’ daughters and ‘sons’.
Linfield was often heard to say, “I like my lifestyle!”

Doc’s life was all about ministry and he often ended his sermons with this question: “Eternity, Eternity, where will you spend Eternity? And what will you do with Jesus?”

We look forward to that day when we will see him in Eternity!