By: Mike Koury | Southfield Sun | Published October 29, 2025
SOUTHFIELD — The city of Southfield is in mourning after the passing of a longtime City Council member.
Lloyd Crews died Oct. 23 at the age of 51. Crews had been a member of the Southfield City Council for 11 years.
Crews’ tenure on the council began in December 2014 when he was appointed to fill a vacant seat. He then served on the council for more than a decade, winning election in 2015 and reelection in 2017 and 2021.
His latest term was set to expire at the end of this year and he had decided to not run for reelection.
Crews is survived by his wife, Stacey, and his son.
Council President Pro Tem Charles Hicks has known Crews for more than 25 years, and they bonded over being in the same fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., albeit at different schools. He remembered when he first learned of Crews’ desire to run for political office, when he saw him seeking signatures to be a candidate for the Southfield City Council.
“It’s just interesting that at some point I would join him as a colleague after seeing him,” he said. “He inspired me.”
Hicks described Crews as an introvert who had an ability to turn on a switch and become very personable and caring and warm.
While he was a quiet person by nature, it was Crews’ ability to listen to others that made him an excellent council member, Hicks said.
“A lot of people talk but don’t necessarily listen to what’s being said,” Hicks said. “He was quite the opposite. He was definitely very observant and conscious of how you felt, how he could help, and he wasn’t one to just pass off. He would want to be involved.
“I think what made him best as a council person was his ability to say, ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out,’” he continued. “Sometimes someone wants to just give you an answer to a question, but he wants to make sure he gives you the most informed answer as he could, and to me, I found that made him more of a giant in our space.”
Crews held a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in political science from Clark Atlanta University and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Wayne State University. He proceeded to work in education for more than 20 years, which led him to Oakland Community College as dean and executive director for 12 years and a tenured professor of political science, according to his biography on the city of Southfield’s website.
Crews served on many local boards including the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of South Oakland County (Field Zone), the American Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan and as president of the Southfield Rotary Club. He also was a member of the Southfield Partnership Council, MLK Jr. Diversity Taskforce and was a past president of the Michigan College Personnel Association, according to his biography.
In addition to his city service, Crews was known for his work with the mentorship of young men in Oakland County as the founder of the OCC Man Up program.
“He had a passion for giving back to all, at various levels, and that carried over into his work with the community and the city,” Hicks said.
Mayor Kenson Siver met Crews 14 years ago when he was introduced to him by former state Rep. Rudy Hobbs. After learning of his interest in running for office, they arranged a meeting with then-City Councilman Jeremy Moss and learned of his interest in diversity, equality and inclusion and his work as a teacher, according to Siver.
“He was fairly soft spoken. Certainly very well educated. I never knew Lloyd to be really demonstrative. He had an easygoing manner about him,” Siver said. “Sort of a quiet sense of humor. I enjoyed working with him on the City Council and as a friend. There were many times where we went out for dinner just to chitchat.”
Along with former Councilman Myron Frasier, Siver said they took Crews under their wings and championed him to be elected to City Council in 2013. Though his campaign was unsuccessful, a year later he was appointed to Moss’ vacant seat after Moss was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives.
“I think he had keen political insights,” Siver said. “Certainly we’re living in a time right now where the political norms are being broken, and I know he was appalled by some of the things that are happening. But he was a voice on council.”
Moss, now a state senator, wrote in a Facebook post that he was heartbroken by the death of his friend, describing him as an “inspiring educator,” “forward-thinking leader for Southfield” and a “cheerfully likable person to be around.”
“This is a devastating loss that feels painfully untimely,” he wrote. “He represented a continuing generation shift for Southfield leadership, which needed new and younger voices moving the city forward.”
“More than anything, Lloyd was friendly, personable, and always with a smile on his face,” Moss wrote. “I have countless memories of meetings, dinners, and other events with Lloyd holding the attention of the room. He will be sorely missed. My heart goes out to his wife, son, family, and many friends.”
Both Hicks and Moss highlighted the period of time when Crews served as council president, when he led the council through the appointment of a new police chief, the redevelopment of Northland Mall, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outside of work, Hicks said Crews was a proud single father to his son for a long time and a constant anchor for his family.
“Being a single parent, being a politician — even though he was married at the time of death — he did a lot as a single father,” he said. “When you hear a lot about Black males, young Black males abandoning families, he was quite the opposite. He was very much family-oriented. He took care of his parents. His father, who is still living, he had a lot of health challenges. Lloyd made time to make sure that his son was OK, as well as his family. That’s what we’re all supposed to do, but not everybody does it.”
Crews’ viewing will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2, at Clora Funeral Home, 5801 E. Seven Mile Road in Detroit. The funeral will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3, at the Second Ebenezer Church, 14601 Dequindre Road in Detroit. The public is welcome and invited to attend.