Addonise James “A.J.” Crews was born on July 30, 1994, in Pensacola, Florida to James E. Crews, Jr. and Latonya P. Crews. A.J. was educated in the public and private schools of Escambia County, Florida
A.J. threw the shot put for Ferry Pass Middle School for three years and the discus and shot-put for the Salvation Army and Golden Elite AAU track teams. In 2009, A.J. competed in the discus and shot-put events at the AAU Junior Olympics at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
After his AAU years, A.J attended Booker T. Washington High School where he participated in weightlifting, varsity football (on the offensive line) and his first love, track and field, focusing on the discus throw. A.J. knew that the success he had in other sports were the result of the training and discipline instilled in him during his AAU years.
After graduating high school, A.J. received the opportunity to attend Ridgewater Junior College in Wilmer, Minnesota and play football on the offensive line where, in his first year, Ridgewater ranked in the top 10 junior college national football teams.
After 2 years of JUCO football, A.J. realized his life’s calling by deciding to enter the funeral profession. A.J. told his parents the reason he chose this profession is because he did not want to see families being taken advantage of in their most vulnerable time. A.J. was accepted into the mortuary program at East Mississippi Community College, where he gained lifelong friends and mentors in Mississippi and Alabama.
During his last year of mortuary school, A.J. joined the Trahan Family Funeral Home in Pensacola, Florida where he became a full-time funeral director and embalmer after earning his Mortuary Science degree from East Mississippi Community College in 2021. A.J. made a lasting impact on the Trahan family and employees at Trahan Family Funeral Home where he served 100’s of families in and around the Pensacola area by helping to coordinate services for their loved ones. A.J. left a lasting imprint on the funeral profession that will never be forgotten. After a 2 ½ year fight with cancer, A.J. took his last breath on Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 23:44 as the good Lord ushered him into eternity with his parents at his bedside.
Although his career took him in a different direction A.J. retained a passion for the throws and would follow college and pro athletes whenever possible. A.J. would always said that his best years of sports were while he was a part of the Golden Elite AAU track team where he was able to train, travel and network with different athletes in the Pensacola area and around the country.
Golden Elite Track and Field Club 