Lee Frank Crebs beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother passed away September 10, 2019, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. From diagnosis to the time of death, he never complained or felt sorry for himself; he persevered as usual.
Lee was born January 24, 1934, in Salt Lake City, Utah to William and Magdalene Woodbury Crebs. His childhood was spent in Rose Park where he met and bonded with many lifelong friends. Lee and his buddies were always up to shenanigans and looking for a new adventure - think "Goonies" in the early years and racing their hot rods like "John Milner" in "American Graffiti" in the teen years.
In 1953, he met the love of his life Barbara Richins. However, the love of his life had a father (Aldo) who was not very keen on a garbage truck driver from the west side of town. In spite of Aldo, who later grew to love Lee, the two married in August of 1954.
Shortly after marriage, Lee joined the United States Army which took him to "exotic" places like Fort Polk in Louisiana and Fort Gordon in Georgia. While in the Army, Barbara gave birth to their first-born son Randy.
In 1958, Lee was honorably discharged from the Army and returned to Salt Lake City and took on the job of a cement truck driver. As usual with Lee, he was conscientious and took great pride in his work. One of his proudest pours was the interior of the Salt Lake International Airport. Whenever he visited the airport with others, he would proudly point out his work.
In 1958, Barbara gave birth to Michael followed by Penny in 1960 and Michelle in 1968.
In January 1960, Lee was hired by the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. From the start, it was obvious that being a cop was his career calling. He was compassionate, courageous, and most of all respectful to everyone he came in contact with. Whether you were a car prowl victim or a hardened criminal, he would treat you with dignity.
Lee with his uncanny ability to simplify complex problems and his God given talent to lead others, allowed him to excel in all aspects of law enforcement and attain the rank of captain. As a captain, he led many amazing deputies who held him in high esteem and always knew he truly cared about them.
In 1988, Lee retired from the Sheriff's Office. After trying his hand as a bank fraud investigator and body guard, he settled into a 10-year career with the Jordan School District in their security department, first in patrol and then as a dispatcher.
Lee was a protector and role model to his four children. He was always there for them and ensured they had everything they needed. He doted on his two daughters and kept an eye on his two sons as they patrolled the streets as Salt Lake County Sheriff Deputies. In one situation, he "just happened to be in the area" when the two were handling a hot call. His sons knew better, because his patrol car hood and brakes were emitting an awful lot of heat for only a short drive. When grandchildren and great grandchildren arrived, he carried on his loving ways.
Lee loved Barbra dearly and always made her feel special and cared for. Through their 65-year marriage, he supported her desire to be a homemaker and a stay at home mom. To the end, he always put her first.
Lee is survived by his wife Barbara, son Randy (Gayle), son Michael (Lesley), daughter Penny (Scott), daughter Michelle (Blake), grandchildren Michael, Ryan, Colby, Lauren, Nick, and Madison, great grandchildren Carlon, Caylee, Emma, Leo, and Henry, brothers Bill and Floyd Crebs.
Graveside services will be held at 2:30 pm on Sunday, September 15, 2019 at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South), Sandy, UT. A visitation will be held from 12:00 -2:00 pm prior to the services.
