Gordon Chip Crawford: Lessons from a Single Dad

By Latonya S. Jordan-Smith, DBME PIO

“I was a Girl Scout leader for years, going on trips with my daughter and selling cookies,” recounted single dad, Gordon Crawford, better known as Chip to his friends. “I braided her hair using potato chip clips, because I really sucked at it. I even had ‘the talk’ with her. I chased away the boyfriends I didn’t like, went to daddy-daughter sock-hops and set her curfew. I coached soccer for my son and rough-housed with him, playing Power Rangers. I held him and soothed him when he was injured, but I also taught him how to bake cookies.”

Chip enjoying “daddy time” with his young child.

Chip currently serves as an IT Specialist in the Division of Benefits & Medical Eligibility for the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES). He said he has tried very hard over his 20 plus years with DES to leave a legacy of honor, dignity and respect within the agency for his co-workers and the customers he helps.

“When I first started to work for DES as an Eligibility Interviewer,” explained Chip, “I knew what it was like to be on the other side of the desk. My early experiences as a single dad helped me perform my job with greater compassion and empathy for my customers.”

Linda Schroeder, a member of the Family Assistance Administration (FAA) on the Health-e-Arizona-Plus (HEA-plus) team with Chip, echoed his sentiment, “Chip is passionate about our work and always has the customer in mind. He never hesitates to share his personal experiences and continuously comes up with suggestions to eliminate barriers to program access for our customers.”

This wasn’t always the case. It took experiencing hardships of his own to transform his perspective. Chip worked in the California grocery industry for years and had always felt frustrated with customers who used food stamps until, suddenly, he found himself in their position. 

“In 1987, I gave up my job in California and moved to my home state of Arizona for a year,” explained Chip. “I had my 6-month old baby boy Christopher, in-tow. During that year, I had trouble making ends meet and had to work four jobs at once.”

At one point, Chip confessed, things got so tough that he actually considered taking the diaper bag to a grocery store to shoplift baby formula.

“Instead,” Chip said, “I took my baby and went to the DES office in Mesa to ask how I could get help with food for my son. It was scary— I felt humiliated.”

Staff explained to him that he would have to apply for eligibility, wait to be interviewed and, if approved, wait a week or longer before he could receive food stamps.

“Defeated,” Chip admitted, “I started to leave the building in tears. Then, a worker ran after me and asked me to wait. After several minutes, she came back with four or five cans of baby formula in a plastic bag and handed me an application. She was amazing. She told me I had an appointment for the next day. I will never forget her!” 

Seven years later, Chip found himself abandoned by his wife, left to raise his two young children by himself. So, he moved back to Arizona with Christopher, then 7, and 5-year-old daughter Megan.

“My worst day ever as a dad,” recounted Chip, “was when I watched my children sit on a curb for hours waiting for their absentee mom to arrive from California for a visit. Several times before, she had promised to come but she never showed. Finally, it dawned on them that they were never going to have her in their lives again. My heart ached for them.”

Chip wasn’t just their father, he was their dad which meant doing everything possible to make their lives better. He took them camping, coached their soccer teams and, when not coaching, attended every game. He also participated as both Boy and Girl Scout Leaders. 

“I volunteered in both their classrooms,” said Chip. “We swam, went tubing, hiking and bicycling. I took them to parks, museums, movies, day trips to Tucson and overnight trips to California to enjoy Disneyland and the beach.”

Chip began working for DES, the same agency that had just, years earlier, extended compassion and a way for him to provide for his young child.

“I also took the job,” explained Chip, “because it allowed me to work Monday through Friday with evenings and weekends off which meant I could devote my time to raising my kids. I have been with DES ever since and enjoy my job and the people I work with tremendously.”

Co-worker and one of the FAA HEA-plus project managers, Patricia Schmidt, said Chip makes a real difference to everyone at DES.

“To this day, Chip continues to impact thousands of lives with his never-ending pursuit of making sure our systems meet external and internal customer needs,” she said.

DES and FAA Systems Administrator Stephanie Dowdell, also a co-worker of Chip’s, praised his commitment to clients.

“He is always on the lookout for a teaching moment,” expressed Dowdell. “He is constantly willing to share his knowledge and experiences and takes the initiative to capture, communicate, track and resolve issues from so many areas. We’d be lost without him.”

Chip is now happily remarried, raising two more sons with current wife, Terri, of 19 years as well as caring for his disabled mother who also lives with them. Chip’s 18-year-old son, Cory, just graduated from Mesa High School in the top of his class while his youngest, Dylan, is 15 and developmentally disabled but has the sweetest spirit and is a pillar of strength who always shows unconditional love for his family. 

Christopher is now 30, married with three young sons (Christopher, Oliver and Peter). As a side note, Chip’s grandson, Oliver, also has an incredible story. Not expected to live when born just over a year ago, he became the youngest heart transplant recipient in the world at just 6-days-old. Today, Chip said his miracle grandbaby is doing amazingly well.

Megan, now 27, is married with a 7-year-old son, Jude. Chip gushed at how amazing she is as a mom and how proud he is that her article:  5 Things I Learned from My Single Dad, was recently published by the national news organization, Huffington Post.

“I can’t believe her first article was about her old dad!” said Chip. “I’m so honored. Megan is, indeed, my best friend.”

Chip uses his early experiences as a young, struggling father to encourage other parents to create positive, meaningful memories and experiences for their children. Chip explained that, as they grow older, that is what kids will cherish most when they look back on their childhood. 

“Memories will be your lasting legacy as parents to your children,” said Chip. “As their role models, you will pass this gift on to them for reference when they raise their own families. Spend time with them and make every moment count. There are always going to be priorities in your life that, if you let them, will push aside the quality time you could be enjoying with your children.” 

Like the song Cats in the Cradle, explained Chip, if parents don’t capture these moments, they will one day turn around to find that their children have moved on. It will be too late because parents can never turn back time. He also encourages parents to be a parent, first, and their child’s friend, second. 

To single dads, Chip offered, “Never shy away from stepping up as their father. Don’t be afraid to also fill in as their mother. Realize that, in the end, your legacy will be the sons and daughters you have raised, equipped and set free to help change the world.”

If you or someone you know is struggling to make ends meet for your family, need access to healthcare, childcare or other important services, please visit DES online at DES.AZ.gov or call (602) 542-4791 to learn how it can help.