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TRALA Member Velva Crahan Passes Away

Alexandria, VA – November 19, 2020 – U-Haul pioneer and long-time TRALA member Velva Crahan has passed away. She was 91 years old.
 
Velva joined the U-Haul family in 1963, shortly after her husband, Pat Crahan, was hired as marketing company president (MCP) of what was then UHC of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Velva ran the marketing company office. Though it wasn't a planned career move for Velva, she soon discovered that it was a role she was made for.
 
“We always worked very well together,” declared Pat, who passed away in 2017 after a 54-year U-Haul career. “And, Velva always made friends with the dealers, which really helped me out as MCP.”

Pat and Velva met when Pat's previous employer sent him to Beaumont, Texas, as part of a management training program. He rented a room in Beaumont from Velva's aunt, and Pat and Velva eventually started dating. A few months later, in 1956, they got married, and as they say in fairy tales—and as is certainly true here—they lived happily ever after.
 
In 1974, Pat was named vice president of Government Relations. During the next several decades, Pat and Velva worked with mayors, city council members, and zoning officials. They represented U-Haul at municipal league conferences and other government-relations conferences and meetings.

“Velva was a joy to know and work with,” U-Haul CEO Joe Shoen declared. “She treated you as family and because of that, we became family. Velva was a consummate professional, representing U-Haul to lawmakers and law enforcement across North America. My family and I will miss her.”
 
“Pat and Velva were instrumental in many areas,” UHI President John “J.T.” Taylor added. “For many years, they worked with multiple government agencies across North America, representing U-Haul with dignity, intelligence and grace. They were the consummate Mr. and Mrs. U-Haul among the community of government agencies that they worked with.

“For more than four decades, Velva was the face of U-Haul to motor vehicle administrators across North America,” added Joe Cook, who succeeded Pat Crahan as VP of Government Relations. “Velva represented the Company with class and excellence. Pat would be the first to say that any success he had was because of the love and support of Velva. Of course, Velva was a force in her own right and worked hard to stand up for the needs of U-Haul customers. I'm a better person because of Velva and blessed to have worked alongside her. I will miss her dearly and do my best to represent U-Haul as well as she did.”
 
TRALA President and CEO Jake Jacoby remarked, “Velva was a fixture at most TRALA Annual Meetings and the members all loved her dearly. She was warm, funny, easy to talk to, and our staff always looked forward to seeing her each year. Losing Pat and now Velva are big losses for our association as they helped make TRALA what it is today – a family organization that works together for the greater good.”

Pat and Velva Crahan were married for 61 years before he passed away in 2017. They are survived by their four children, many of whom have worked for U-Haul over the years, along with several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
 
 
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About TRALA
 
Based in Alexandria, VA, TRALA is a voluntary, nonprofit national trade association organized in 1978 to provide the unified and focused voice for the truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA's membership includes nearly 500 leasing and rental firms and 100 suppliers that make up nearly the entire truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA members purchase approximately 30 percent of all Class 2 through 8 over-the-road commercial trucks and tractors operating in the U.S. today. You can now reach TRALA on Facebook @TRALAorg, Twitter @TRALAorg, and LinkedIn @TRALA. 

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