Landon Crossley

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear son, brother, grandson, partner, and friend Landon Britain Crossley on February 9, 2024. Landon is the son of Kimberly Stinson Kurak and Simon Crossley, the stepson of Bill Kurak, the brother of Logan Crossley, Kamryn Crossley, Kyle Kurak, Cameron Kurak, and Kelsey Kurak, and is also survived by his grandparents Janice and Doug Stinson and Sharon and Bill Kurak; his stepmother Belinda Martin and stepsisters Maddie and Genna Horvath; his aunts and uncles Kevin and Charity Stinson, Kristal and Rip Garcia, Kandi and Jim Sigona, Beverly Crossley, Jonathan Crossley, Lesley Crossley, Julia Crossley, Sloan and David Kurak, and Dan Kurak and Tom Coenen; and many cousins and extended family. He was 26 years old.

Landon Britain Crossley was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 4, 1997, to Kimberly Stinson and Simon Crossley, who moved their young family to Plano, Texas when Landon was a few months old. It was in Plano that Landon grew up, the sidekick and constant companion to his older brother Logan and the guide and protector of his little sister Kamryn. He was a playful and curious child, and his eagerness to discover new things—and willingness to push himself and others to the limits of their comfort zone—was a quality that served him exceptionally well through childhood, his teenage years, and into adulthood.

He was raised in the church as a member of Prestonwood Baptist, where he participated in youth sports, found friendships at summer camps, and was baptized alongside his brother, Logan.

When Landon was twelve years old, his family grew to include stepfather Bill and stepsiblings Kyle, Cameron, and Kelsey. He forged deep and meaningful relationships with each of them that flourished far beyond family obligations and became true and fulfilling friendships. Together with the Crossleys, the Kuraks became an inseparable fortress of a family, and Landon’s role in the middle was a challenge which he took with his trademark insistence and a gift that kept unfolding throughout his life.

Landon excelled at sports. He was a talented and creative player in basketball, football, and baseball, but his standout abilities in soccer carried him to a decorated high school career as the captain of the Plano West team and a college scholarship as a center full-back at Georgia Southern University for the first two years of his undergraduate. As a strong, courageous captain on the backline in his soccer team, Landon’s natural leadership and fierce devotion to his teammates were on full display. He was also an avid golfer, snowboarder, and a multiple marathon runner. In all of these pursuits, his resilience and absolute tenacity drove him along and uplifted all those around him. His substantial achievements often were underemphasized, because Landon’s focus remained firmly on encouraging everyone, regardless of skill or experience, to do hard things.

For his junior and senior years of college, Landon attended the University of Oklahoma, where his charm and charisma helped him build a vibrant social life in Norman. He was a committed fan of the Sooners in all arenas, a bond he shared with his mother, father, grandparents, and dozens of other family members with Oklahoma roots. After graduating from OU, Landon moved to Dallas, and in no time, he discovered his dream career. He was a homebuilder. Uniting his passions for craft and quality design with his natural people skills, his mother’s work ethic and knowledge of real estate, and his father’s dynamic communication abilities, Landon poured himself into a workplace family and into every project with an inspired and inspiring spirit. He was beloved by his co-workers and universally admired by the clients and tradespeople with whom he had an effortless rapport.

It was at this time that Landon met and fell in love with Katie Albers. A fellow graduate of OU, Katie was a friend of a friend who quickly became a well-matched girlfriend, then cherished companion, then committed partner. Beyond that, she was and continues to be the love of his life, sharing everyday life and love with Landon for a joy-filled 3 years. Over their years together they found a strong and loving community of friends with whom they enjoyed annual ski trips, deep talks, and countless inside jokes.  The greatest house Landon ever turned into a home was the house in Dallas, Texas that he and Katie moved into in December 2023—ushering in what friends, family, and Katie recognized as the proudest and happiest moments of his adult life.

Landon was a lover of people and the things that bring them together. He often could be found in the center of a circle, strumming a guitar and leading a chorus. His love of music was a hobby he embraced as an adult, as a longtime admirer of the musical talents of his Papa Doug and Uncle Kevin. Landon also passionately, vocally enjoyed food, especially at holiday gatherings. In his earliest memories, Landon loved being spoiled by his Aunt Kristal. His gushing reviews of Nana Janice’s cooking were the stuff of family lore, and his devotion to Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions at his Aunt Kandi and Uncle Jim’s house gave fuel to the spirit and the ritual which enlivened everyone in his presence. With his cousins—Paige, Hope, Talon, Vince, Emi, Luci, Grayson, Grant, Gibson, Adin, Dunaven, and Beck—he enjoyed a closeness that often made him feel like he had more than one home.

His family stretched generations, states, and continents. His father’s connection to his home country in England was a source of constant pride and inspiration for Landon. Not only was Landon deeply invested in relationships with his English family, but he was also indebted to England for giving him one of his life’s great loves: Manchester City Football Club. He cherished trips with his siblings to England, Wales, and Spain where he enjoyed time with his Grandad Peter and Nanny Val as well as his Uncle Jonathan, Auntie Bev, Auntie Les, and cousins Charlie and Millie. In the fall of 2023, the whole Crossley family reunited in New York City for a memorable weekend and during the holidays formed a family jam band with his Auntie Julia and her partner, Gerrardo. Landon was proud of his English heritage and loved carrying the Crossley name.

A hobbyist of epic proportions, Landon’s exploits as an explorer, adventurer, photographer, drone pilot, climber, podcaster, model, juggler, and grasper at the great passions of his life gave him a reputation as someone who could do and see it all and be in multiple places at the same time. He could be found jumping into the water, hurtling down a hill, embarking on a new business venture, loudly telling jokes, and showing off for his friends. In the truest sense, “he lived for the reaction”. But in his quieter moments, especially as an adult, he emerged as a deep thinker, a keen observer, a mind that sought answers and probed great mysteries. He loved cards and dominoes and the still silence of a full house over an early cup of coffee. He loved to understand what made other people tick.

The very center of Landon’s life was his family. He was a mentor and a role model to cousins, trusted counsel to siblings, and priceless treasure to parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Ever on call to lend a hand, mow a lawn, move something heavy, or join in the search for something, Landon’s loyalty and advocacy for others will outlive him. His generosity of spirit extended from the beginning of his life to the end and beyond, and his gift of life as an organ donor will benefit countless people and their families.

To all who knew him, Landon’s strength, grace, clarity, humor, and unending energy created an aura that filled every room he entered and every life he impacted. His legacy of kinetic joy—his bias towards action—will long endure and offer strength in trying times to those he loved. He will be missed ferociously and celebrated frequently, with the same boundless embrace of the known and unknown which he so fully embodied in life.

Landon’s family will receive friends for a visitation from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at Allen Family Funeral Options.

There will be a funeral service at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, February 15, 2024, at Prestonwood Baptist Church North Campus, 1001 W Prosper Trail, Prosper, Texas 75078, officiated by Dr. Connor Bales. https://prestonwood.org/crossley

Landon will be laid to rest at Ridgeview Memorial Park, Allen, Texas immediately following the service.

There will be a celebration of Landon’s life from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday evening at The HUB at 1289 Johnson Rd, Allen, Texas 75013.

In lieu of flowers, Landon’s family encourages donations be made to the Jordan Dwyer and Landon Crossley Foundation which will benefit causes close to their hearts at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-jordan-dwyer-and-landon-crossley-foundation