Drexel dedicates Cranford Room, celebrating a legacy of education and service

Elected officials, community members, regional business leaders, and members of Drexel’s Cranford family filed into the R.O. Huffman Center’s now-vibrant Cranford Room, named to honor the family’s dedication to education, service, and community.

Built in the mid-1950s, the modernization of the community center’s banquet hall improved the room’s acoustics, repaired roof leaks, and replaced electrical outlets, while increasing the space by 30%. The work accompanied a series of improvements throughout the center, including an overhaul of the restrooms.

Brad Cranford, son of Fred and Betsy Cranford, said the dedication of the room to his family is not seen as a monument, but a continuation.

“It’s a space where people will gather, learn, plan, celebrate, and build the future of this community, a space where the values my family lived can continue to ripple outward to everyone who made this dedication possible,” Cranford said.

Grow With Drexel President Dan Hoyle shared the deep contributions and values that Fred and Betsy Cranford passed along to their children, and throughout the Drexel community.

Fred Cranford is remembered as a devoted educator, historian, and cultural steward. He served in the U.S. Air Force and had a long career in education, which included both teaching and school administration. He is known for writing the celebrated outdoor historical drama, “From This Day Forward,” which tells the story of the Waldenses who founded Valdese in the late 1800s.

Betsy Cranford was also a beloved educator, teaching French and Spanish for many years, and retiring from Freedom High School. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and was active in professional organizations.

“She served with quiet leadership, a faithful member of Drexel First Baptist Church for more than four decades,” Hoyle said at the ribbon cutting hosted by the Burke County Chamber of Commerce. “Betsy lived her life with grace, generosity, and commitment to both faith and community.”

The couple raised their sons Eric and Brad on Poteat Drive. They attended Drexel schools and graduated from East Burke High School.

The oldest, Eric Cranford, had a passion for learning, becoming an Eagle Scout and graduating from North Carolina State University with a double major in political science and economics. He continued to Naval flight school and served two tours in the Persian Gulf as a helicopter pilot. His life was later cut short in the tragic Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon. Eric’s wife, Emily Cozort Cranford, traveled from her home in California to attend the dedication.

Brad Cranford, the youngest, introduced members of the Cranford and Cozort families who were present at the ribbon cutting ceremony. He and his wife, Kristie, live in Cary, and he is a senior director for Tyler Technologies in Apex, leading a team of technology professionals to deliver services for their clients.

“Drexel has always been and will always be my hometown,” Brad Cranford said. “When I think about what it means to have our family recognized in this way, my mind immediately goes to my parents, the true foundation of everything being celebrated today.”

Drexel Mayor Dennis Anthony said the improvements in the now Cranford Room and the restrooms are just the start of what’s to come for the R.O. Huffman Center. The Drexel Board of Aldermen plans to set aside funds to complete at least one project a year to help modernize the community center. He added that the first phase of upgrades would not have been possible donations from Jim Rostan, Maxine McCall, Grow With Drexel, and other various donors.

‘This is really big for this community,” Burke County Commissioner Randy Burns said. “Any time you get a place where your citizens can come together, break bread, share a laugh, those things just continue to build on community.”