Karen Marie Crumley

Karen Marie Crumley, age 80, died after a rapid decline in health at St. Peter’s Hospital in Lacey, Washington, surrounded by loving family. Karen Crumley was born in Twin Falls, Idaho on June 20th, 1942, to Calvin D. Vannoy and Marie Katherine (Mields) Vannoy. Karen’s family soon moved to Lacey, Washington, where she grew up and went to school, becoming the oldest of four Vannoy children.

In her youth, Karen enjoyed reading, friends, and listening to Elvis Presley records. She later recalled to family the first time she heard Elvis sing during a lunch break at Junior High School. After hearing him croon on a .45 record, Karen was hooked and remained a devoted fan throughout her life.

Karen graduated from North Thurston High School in 1960, making the decision to attend Centralia Community College after graduation. It was there that she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Crumley. They married in 1963 and moved together to Ellensburg to attend Central Washington University. They both earned their Bachelor of Arts in Education, becoming teachers. Karen taught typing and secretarial courses for two years but paused her teaching career to raise their three children.

While raising children, Karen continued to bring in income by babysitting neighborhood children and working for local attorneys as a transcriber at night, because she could do this work while prioritizing her children. From 1982 to 1990 she worked as an Office Manager for Educational School District 113, returning to school to renew her Teacher’s Certificate in the State of Washington, this time with a Special Education Endorsement. From 1990 to 2005 she worked as a special education teacher at an elementary school in Shelton, Washington, teaching students with learning disabilities to read. During this time, she also helped care for her mother, Marie Vannoy, after her stroke.

She retired from teaching in June 2005. Following retirement, Karen cared for her husband, Bob Crumley, who was battling several health challenges, and her own aging father, Calvin Vannoy. She also took great joy in visiting her grandchildren and attending their sporting events and activities whenever possible. Karen enjoyed entertaining family, bringing her children and grandchildren together every summer at locations such as Leavenworth and Gig Harbor for sun, family time, and lots of laughs. Karen continued to enjoy reading, British television, classic movies, and exercised at the local YMCA.

Karen is survived by her son, Scott Crumley of Tumwater, her daughter Melissa Golan (Alex) of Bellevue, and her daughter Amy Laizans (Jeff) of Redmond and nine grandchildren: Joe and Zach Crumley, Ben, Olivia, and Carlos Golan, and Mia, Sean, Kylie, and Heather Laizans. She is also survived by her brother, Ronald Vannoy (Gertie) of Las Vegas, and sister, Kathy Lopp of Yelm.

Karen was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, her parents, Calvin and Marie Vannoy, her brother, Randall Vannoy, and her daughter-in-law, Jennifer Crumley.

Services will be held at 2:00pm (Visitation at 1:00pm) on Friday October 14, 2022 at Mills & Mills Funeral Home, located at 5725 Little Rock Road SW, Tumwater.