Friends and colleagues of Carl Crabtree this week remembered the former state senator as a “fierce” advocate for education, who championed investments in literacy and represented the needs of local school leaders at the Statehouse.

Crabtree died Tuesday after a recent battle with brain cancer, according to state superintendent Debbie Critchfield. Crabtree worked in Critchfield’s office after serving in the Legislature for six years. 

A rancher from Grangeville, Crabtree managed Idaho County’s 4-H program for 27 years, and he was the county’s weed management supervisor for 31 years. He also served as an extension agent for the University of Idaho and had tenures leading the Idaho Cattle Association and Idaho Beef Council. 

Crabtree was elected to the Idaho Senate in 2016, when he narrowly defeated longtime incumbent Sheryl Nuxoll in the Republican primary election. He served on the Senate Education Committee and Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, among others, while winning reelection twice. 

In an emotional statement Tuesday, Critchfield said that she lost one of her “dearest friends” and that Idaho “lost a true champion.” She praised Crabtree’s advocacy for dyslexia awareness. In 2022, he sponsored a bill directing public schools to screen students for dyslexia and to train teachers on identifying the learning disability that affects about 20% of people. 

“Carl Crabtree was more than a colleague — he was a cowboy at heart, a fierce advocate for education, and a man whose integrity shaped everything he touched,” Critchfield said. “Carl’s passion for serving Idaho’s students and families never wavered, even in the face of his personal battle with cancer. From his work championing early literacy and dyslexia resources to his tireless efforts supporting educators, Carl’s legacy will live on in the lives he changed.”

Robin Zikmund, president of Decoding Dyslexia Idaho, co-authored House Bill 731, the dyslexia intervention bill. Crabtree didn’t just support the concerns of dyslexic children and their families by sponsoring the bill, Zikmund said. Rather, he “fully committed himself to the cause.”

“He took the time to educate himself about dyslexia, understand how common this learning difference is, and listen directly to Idaho families and educators about the challenges students face,” Zikmund said. “Most importantly, he followed through on his word. Sen. Crabtree showed me what it truly means to be a statesman, and in doing so, inspired many of us to be better people.”

The Idaho School Boards Association in 2022 gave Crabtree its Friend of Education award, recognizing his advocacy for public schools. The following year, Lewis-Clark State College awarded Crabtree its President’s Medallion.

Crabtree made a point of meeting with school board members and superintendents to voice their needs at the Statehouse, said Quinn Perry, ISBA’s deputy director for government affairs. And he never shied away from speaking out on important education issues, despite political risks, Perry said. 

This included pushing to fund full-day kindergarten, a divisive concept among fellow Republicans. Crabtree argued that boosting state funds for full-day kindergarten — which is largely supported by local tax revenue — would ease property taxes and improve early literacy. Too many students are entering school unprepared, particularly in rural communities, he argued. 

“The son of a schoolteacher, Carl respected and understood why public schools were essential to rural communities and why agriculture and career-technical education were as essential as literacy,” Perry said. “We will miss Carl not only as our friend, but as someone who pushed tirelessly for organizations and agencies to champion progress for Idaho’s children.”

Lawmakers in 2022 approved a $47 million increase in literacy spending for public schools — money that could be used on full-day kindergarten. 

Later that year, Crabtree lost his reelection bid to Sen. Cindy Calrson, R-Riggins, in the GOP primary. The day after the election, he was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer and doctors predicted he would have six months to live, Crabtree told the Lewiston Tribune at the time.

In 2023, Critchfield hired Crabtree as intergovernmental affairs director in the superintendent’s office, where he worked with the Idaho Land Board and Legislature. Critchfield said Tuesday that Crabtree successfully fought esophageal cancer but ultimately died of brain cancer. 

Other former colleagues eulogized Crabtree in social media posts Tuesday. 

“Idaho lost a great man today,” said former Rep. Julie Yamamoto, a Republican from Caldwell. “Sending love to Carl’s family. Many friends are grieving with you.”

“The world will be a different place without Carl Crabtree,” said former Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, a Republican from Genesee.