Michael Dean Crowe

Mike was loved and depended upon by his family and friends and was an integral part of the Yuma Community. He is survived by his daughter Ryan Crowe, his son Austin Crowe, and their mother Pamela Crowe; his sisters Karen Crowe-Ranville (Tim Ranville) and Linda Crowe. He leaves behind his life partner Kathy Opfenring and his stepdaughter Danielle Opfenring Amavisca. He was preceded in death by his parents Dean Crowe and Ruth Crowe Wandrey.

As a child, Mike split his time between homes in Arizona and Mexico. He grew up in Gadsden, Az; Yuma, Az; and San Luis, Mexico, where he was always recognized by his electric blue eyes. He made friends that would last him a lifetime, and loved spending nights cooking carne asada on the grill and bringing people together. Mike traveled extensively throughout his life and lived in various regions of Latin America. His last series of trips was with Kathy to Colombia and Paraguay where they had great adventures and made friends with everyone they met. He loved animals and spent time every day with his truck dog, Seis, and taking care of his cats, horses, and other pets.

Mike was intensely proud of his skills in water systems and his ability to design, manage, and implement water services for the benefit of humankind. He had the innate ability to intelligently solve problems and had professional influence throughout North, South, and Central America. Mike left a local legacy as the owner and operator of Priority Well Service and passed this responsibility to his daughter Ryan Crowe. His position as the General Manager of the Yuma Mesa Irrigation District was a boon to the Yuma Community and his influence, professional insights, and uplifting nature will be irreplaceable.

Finding a way to make people laugh was always easy for Mike and he never missed an opportunity for a Dad Joke. His impact was not limited to his professional capabilities, but his innate goodness and desire to make things better. Friends and family were extremely important to him and he loved being a dad. Telling stories about his family was common in every conversation with him and his pride in his children was obvious.

It will be impossible to ever forget Mike as he had such a positive influence on so many peoples’ lives. To honor him, we will be celebrating our Memories with Mike on November 12, 2022, at Brittain Farms (4330 W. Riverside Dr. Yuma, AZ, 85364) from 2 - 6 pm with services beginning at 3 pm. If you have any photographs or videos with Mike that you would be willing to share during the services, please email them to [email protected] so that they can be included. Flowers can be sent to Brittain Farms on the day of services or in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to help recover hurt animals in need of care through Yuma Animal Protection and Rescue EIN: 81-2781784 or mailed donations to YAPAR 2554 W 16th St. Yuma, AZ, 85364.