Remembering the life of Randolph 'Randy' Crews (2024)

Randolph "Randy" W. Crews, 75, was born June 21, 1948, in St. Louis, Mo., the son of William Edward Crews Jr. and Fern (Fisher) Crews. He passed away Monday (May 20, 2024), after a short illness.
The youngest of the "3 Crews Boys," Randy and his family moved to Kankakee County in 1953. Randy loved being a part of his older brothers' involvement in sports and followed along despite the age differences. The Crews brothers excelled in multiple sports, and Randy did not disappoint. He attended Bradley schools and was an athletic standout during his years at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School (BBCHS). He was later inducted into the BBCHS Hall Of Fame. On May 2, 1966, Randy signed with the University of Illinois after his graduation from the BBCHS with the class of 1966. Randy was one of the most versatile athletes ever produced in the Kankakee area at BBCHS, where he set several of the basketball scoring records. He was an All-State Athlete in both basketball and football while playing baseball at a high level. In basketball, Randy led his teams to a three-year record of 62 - 2 with a Sweet Sixteen appearance.
He went on to the University of Illinois, where he was a regular on the varsity roster and was considered by many as the top defender in the Big Ten Conference. Randy also lettered in baseball for the Illini, batting over .300 for each of his three years on the varsity team. As one of the Big Ten's best sluggers, he signed to play first base for The Chicago Cubs Organization in the single A and then the AA Farm System, Huron Cubs, Quincy Cubs and Midland Cubs, where he played until a baseball injury finished his career. In later years, Randy loved to "chew the fat" and enjoyed talking about all things sports related with his friends about his glory days!
In later years, Randy followed the tradition of the Crews brothers by becoming one of the finest golfers in the area, winning the Kankakee County Pro-Am Tournament. He even played on the course at St. Andrews in Scotland, the oldest and most iconic course in the world. Scoring a hole-in-one is one of the biggest thrills in golf and Randy was able to claim 16 during his golfing years.
Denny Lehnus, a longtime coach and friend, said, "I believe he was the best all-around athlete this area has ever produced. I think if he had concentrated on one sport, he could have been a pro in four sports! He had a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings as a punter. He could have played pro basketball in Europe, signed with the Cub and led the Midwest League in batting average before being injured, and what most people are not aware of was that he was offered a full golf scholarship to the University of Houston. This was a time when they were one of the top programs in the NCAA and produced top PGA players like Fuzzy Zoeller and Fred Couples!"
Randy is survived by his son, his pride and joy ... Logan Randolph Crews.
Other family members who survive him are nieces, Deb (John) Walsh, Julie (Tom) Kaminke and Danielle (Todd) LaRoche; nephews, Mike (Juliette) Crews, Andrew (Kristin) Crews and David (Brooke) Crews; two sisters-in-law, Fran Crews and Shelley Crews; several great-nieces and great-nephews; as well as his dear friend and caregiver, M.J. Cleeland.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his brothers, Steve and Gary Crews; his son's mother, Lisa Denney Crews Hamilton; and a son, Lance Crews.
Randy pledged monthly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and donations in his honor may be made to St. Jude's.
A celebration of Randy's life will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, at Oak Springs Golf Course, 6740 E. 3500S Road, St. Anne.

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Published on May 24, 2024