Evelyn M. Crowley died on Thursday, August 17,2023, at 92 years of age. Evelyn was married to her beloved, Ray E. Crowley, for 70 years. She was devoted to Ray and passed just one week after him. A funeral service will be held at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Columbus, Georgia on Monday, August 21, 2023, at 10 am.
Mrs. Crowley was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to the late Muriel and Leo Petsche. Her father died when Evelyn was 2. At this time, Mrs. Crowley and her mother moved in to live with her Grandparents, Tim and Margaret O’Hara. Mrs. Crowley told rich stories of growing up as an aspiring pianist and Catholic school girl during the depression. She is survived by her four children, Timothy J. Crowley, Ann Crowley Patterson, Ellen Crowley Grisham and Steven D. Crowley. She is also survived by her son in law, G. Douglas Patterson, Jr., 11 grandchildren and her siblings Carol Severson Smith, Glen A. Severson and Paul Severson.
Mrs. Crowley graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1954. She continued her education and earned a Masters of Special Education from Columbus State University in 1976, while her husband traveled often for work and they raised four children. In 2013, Mrs. Crowley earned an honorary doctorate from Columbus State University.
Mrs. Crowley lived a life of service to others.The beneficiaries of her hard work are too numerous to name. Notably, she has been the longest standing continuous contributor to the Columbus Symphony where immediately upon her arrival to Columbus she began volunteering. Eventually, she served as a member of the board of directors of the Symphony. Mrs. Crowley was a emeritus member of the Board of Trustees at the Columbus Museum. She gave her time and talent to the Collections Committee. In that role, she traveled with her colleagues to search for acquisitions that would grow the museum’s collection. Mrs. Crowley was a life long learner and an educator. She worked at Columbus State University to teach young men and women to read so that they could earn their GEDs. Many students went on to serve in the county’s police and fire departments.
Mrs Crowley was active, vibrant, curious, and funny. She loved to travel with Ray and together they explored the world. She was an adoring mother and grandmother who made each individual feel like her most favorite person in the world. She will missed by her family and the Columbus community which has been her home for over fifty years.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made in Mrs Crowley’s name to the Columbus Museum or the Columbus Symphony.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Crowley family.
