Lois Garber Crum

Lois was born October 9th, 1930 in Bridgeville Pennsylvania to G.W. and Bess Garber, the fourth of eight children. She has always had a talent for music and was playing the piano in public by the time she started school. She graduated at the top of her high school class in 1948 and married geologist F. P. (Fred) Crum in March of 1949. Fred’s work took them west to Aztec, New Mexico in 1950, where she lived until 2002.

In 1961, Lois and Fred adopted four brothers, (ages 4-9), who were in foster care. Lois stayed extremely busy with the boys, church, music, politics and managing the office for Fred’s oil and gas property management company. She served on the Aztec school board for six years. She was named New Mexico “Mother of the Year” in 1974. In her spare time, she enjoyed gardening, flower arranging and playing bridge, as well as entertaining folks with her piano playing. Lois was deeply involved with the Aztec Presbyterian Church where she served as Sunday School teacher, Deacon, Trustee and Elder through the years. She was a lifetime member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), Grange and Eastern Star.

Her husband Fred and sons Jim and Tom passed away in 1996. In 1999 she was re-married to widower Henry Boley. They moved to Texas in 2002 and lived at Holly Lake Ranch and Katy before Henry passed away in 2017. Lois moved to Tyler, Texas in 2020. Her son Dan died the same year.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents, spouses Fred Crum and Henry Boley, sons Jim, Tom and Dan, sister Nancy Carlisle, brothers Charles, Chester, Russell and Donald Garber, In laws Jim and Judy Crum and Ed and Eileen Schneider as well as stepchildren David Boley and Dana Boley White and many dear friends.

She is survived by her son John (Vicki) Crum, grandchildren Andrew Crum, Brian Crum and Karen Crum, sister Wyoma (Norm) McCray, brother Dale (Janice) Garber, sisters-in-law Jeanine Garber and Vi Garber along with numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her stepfamily including Kathy (Charles) Cunningham, Mark (Teresa) Boley, Glenda Boley and their extended families.

A funeral is planned at the Aztec Presbyterian Church on December 20th, at 10:00 am. After a graveside ceremony at the Aztec Cemetery, there will be a reception back at the Church at approximately noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that family and friends make donations to their own favorite charity.