Larry Crandall served the Dowagiac community for over three decades, most notably as its superintendent. His tenure was defined not just by administrative success, but by a deep-seated belief that every young person should have the support needed to unlock their potential. Larry didn't just lead schools; he mentored students, advised graduates, and built a legacy of compassion that remains the heartbeat of our organization.

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Lawrence Arthur Crandall was born Sept 4, 1948 in South Haven MI to Donald E. and Roselyn Crandall.  He grew up in Bangor MI and graduated from Bangor High School in 1966.  Four days after he got his drivers license, he took that cute sophomore cheerleader Jody Beyer on their first date and, as they say, the rest is history.  Almost eight years later they were married June 17, 1972 in South Haven MI.

 

While in high school Larry played basketball and baseball and delivered flowers for his mothers flower shop.  He always said his best job ever was working for McKane Funeral Home.  “Burt’s boys” wore their suits to school and left early to park cars and assist families to and from the cemetery. His love of fine suits and neckties was set early.  He later spent summers painting for Bangor Schools. 

 

Ignoring his high school principal’s advice not to waste his parents money, Larry went to Spring Arbor College and played golf.  After a mutually agreed “one and done”, he transferred his confident and independent skill set to Central Michigan University where he was active in Student Senate and the newly formed Sigma Pi fraternity. He was instrumental in the purchase of the first Sigma Pi fraternity house in Mt. Pleasant.  He graduated in 1970 with a degree in Political Science and secondary education.  Later he earned a Masters Degree in Counseling and Personnel from Western Michigan University plus did post graduate work in Educational Leadership.

 

He launched his 36 years of dedication to Dowagiac Schools by taking his first job as government teacher, golf and basketball coach. He was a popular teacher with high expectations and worked to know every one of his students.  He encouraged them to think independently, know current events and make informed decisions.  His love of basketball led to twenty years as a registered official culminating in being chosen to referee the MHSAA Class B finals twice. He also umpired the MHSAA baseball finals in 1977.   He later developed the Law Related Education class which won numerous state and national awards.  Larry’s career soon progressed into the position of Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Personnel and he retired in 2006 as Superintendent of Schools.  The proudest memories of his career centered around the dedication of teachers and staff to help students do their best to reach goals and meet state standards.  He liked nothing better than to visit an elementary classroom, do his special handshake, read a popup-book and sing a song.  Debbie Heeter, his administrative secretary, recalls “he was well respected. He insisted on professionalism and teamwork.  First impressions are everything...so always have your shoes shined he would tell me. I have lost a dear friend”.  As local newsman John Eby wrote after his retirement party, “Crandall’s three C’s and two F’s (faith and family) wouldn’t make much of a report card, but they were the “guiding premise” of his precisely organized management style as Superintendent of more than three hundred employees and over twenty-five hundred students. Larry said a leader must have the courage of his convictions, compassion and commitment.” Two of Larry’s strengths were communicating with all walks of life and being a good listener.  He always said he never worked a day in his life.

 

As a central office administrator, Larry was a member of the Michigan Association of School Administrators and served as president of Region 7 (seventy Southwest Michigan school districts)  He was a presenter at a State Superintendents conference on Collaborative Collective Bargaining..  He and the high school counselor developed the School District Crisis Response and Suicide Intervention Plan,  one of the first in the State of Michigan, and used as a model by many other districts.  Always thinking about telling the Dowagiac school story to the community, he developed the weekly radio program on WDOW “Looking inside Dowagiac Schools” which aired for 18 years every Wednesday morning and during halftime of the football games.  He is also remembered for sending “Look Who’s in the News” to every student and employee featured in the local newspapers along with a handwritten personal note.   Along the way, Larry decided the school district needed to meet the needs of students who required a nontraditional format to be successful.  He convinced the School Board to purchase the Eliason factory building near the airport and open Pathfinders Alternative School.  He was a member of the steering committee that finally convinced a skeptical community that a new middle school was needed.  It was dedicated in Sept 2005. He then worked with city officials in tearing down the old middle school to make way for the Lyons Medical Center.

 

Larry’s dedication to Dowagiac not only took place in the schools but also in the community.  One of his first bridges was building a relationship with city hall.   He regularly met with the city manager visioning the future.  APEX was the first project which involved the school and community to build a track/soccer/softball complex open 24/7 to the community.  He was also active in the Boys Baseball Association as a coach, umpire and mentor to pitchers.   In 2002, he green lighted the formation of the Chieftain Golf outing committee to raise money for the Athletic Booster Club and the Dowagiac Schools Foundation (which he started).  To date they have raised over $800,000 for Dowagiac students and teachers. 

 

Some of his proudest moments were serving the community in volunteer positions such as serving on the Cass County United Way Board for ten years, being instrumental in the merger of the Cass County School and Governmental Employees credit union with then Berrien Teachers Credit Union (now Honor CU) to give members better access to savings and loan options, as a Campaign Co- Chair of the Borgess Lee Hospital fundraiser of $1.6 million to rebuild the emergency room, Trustee chairman of the First United Methodist Church and building chair for their $600,000 remodeling project that expanded from the need for a new roof.  As with anything Larry was involved in, the message was “build it to the best of your ability” and “good enough isn’t good enough”.  His most recent project was the Welcome To Dowagiac structure at the Rite Aid corner.  For decades his wife listened to his vision every time they rode past that corner.  As a dedicated Rotary member for over three decades and president of the Dowagiac Rotary Charitable Foundation for many years, he finally got his wish when the club celebrated their 100th anniversary.  Working with the city, they purchased the corner from the State of Michigan in a three year patience testing process including COVID. Meanwhile he raised over $60,000 from Rotary members and their families to develop the corner.

 

In his “spare time” he served for five years as caddie master at the Western Amateur Golf tournament at Point O’Woods golf course. He coordinated the Elks Hoop Shoot for many years. He was a long time emcee of the annual All Sports banquet.  He sold Franklin Life insurance to young adults to foster a lifetime of “saving and spending” responsibly.  He was a cast member (red wig and all) in the longest running play at the Beckwith Theater, “Brother Benjamin and the House of David”.  For forty-eight years he went fishing in Canada with the same three Bangor friends.  For three decades he was a Notre Dame men’s basketball season ticket holder rarely missing a home game. While traveling over the years to visit his sons in various parts of our country, he visited more than 120 college campuses. He enjoyed his workshop in the winter and his yard work in the summer.  His green grass was the envy of the neighborhood.

 

Along with his love of his community, Larry loved the game of golf, teaching his sons to play, and finally celebrated a hole in one at Harbor Shores Golf Club. He was fortunate to play at both Pebble Beach and St. Andrews in Scotland. He loved his Detroit Tigers and Lions, Notre Dame sports, his John Deere and most of all, his family. Larry had many career opportunities to leave Dowagiac, but felt raising his sons in a multicultural, economically diverse small town was good preparation for life.  No matter how busy, he always put family first and spent many hours with his sons catching pitches, shooting free throws (sometimes still in his suit and necktie), putting a golf ball, watching ball games.  He loved his wife of 53 years Jody, sons Justin(Valerie) of Broomfield, CO, and Jordan (Stephanie) of Charlotte NC and four grandchildren Cody, Kyla, Lincoln, and Palmer and bonus sons Christopher (Molly, Callahan) Craft of St. Joseph MI and Etienne “Steve” Mazimpaka of Tallahassee FL.  He passed away November 22, 2025.