M. Genevieve Crowley

Genevieve was the first child born to Mike and Vera Spelman of Sturgeon, Missouri. She arrived on a cold Feb. 6, 1927 day and was named after two aunts. Like most children of the Shirley Temple era, she took tap dancing lessons, piano lessons, and developed beautiful handwriting. In her childhood, she became fond of cats. She was known in Sturgeon as the little girl who made cat clothes, complete with a slit for their tail, placing them on their back in her doll buggy and wheeling Confucius and Hollyhock around town. Can you imagine the surprise when residents looked in the buggy expecting baby dolls, but saw fully dressed cats just purring away looking ever so cute?

From her early childhood to her final days, her witty, sweet, quirky personality endeared her to all she became acquainted with through her 96 years.

Following her graduation from Sturgeon High School in 1945, she enrolled in Christian College (now Columbia College) and graduated in 1947. She was employed by Boone Electric Cooperative (REA) in their billing department for twenty years.

Soon after graduating from college, she met Virgil Crowley, newly returning from the war. They were married in August, 1951. Virgil was assistant county extension agent for Boone County, Missouri. They lived in Columbia until 1966, at which time Dr. Crowley was recruited to join the Penn State University faculty.

Genevieve readily explored opportunities in “Happy Valley.” She joined the Penn State Faculty Women’s Golf League. With all the extra time to practice golf, she became a very talented golfer. She was a member of the Boalsburg DAR chapter, the State College Bird Club and participated in tagging and bird count, was a terrific Corn Hole and Bocce player. Genevieve took many advanced clothing construction classes and perfected her sewing to create professional looking garments. See, making cat clothes does have benefits.

Genevieve was preceded in death by parents, William Michael and Vera Butler Spelman, her husband of over 71 years, Virgil Earnest Crowley, brother, Dennis Glenn Spelman, sister-in-law, Julia Powers Spelman, and brother-in-law, David Ernest Nelson. She is survived by her sister, Gloria Spelman Nelson, nieces Janice Spelman and Fred, Laura Nelson Coyne and Brian, grandnieces Meghan and Allison Coyne, nephew William Glenn Spelman and Niyanta, grandnephews Jasiel and Ronan. She will be dearly remembered by friends in State College, PA, extended Missouri family and Williamsburg, VA. We thank the staff of WindsorMeade memory care and Gentiva Hospice for their loving care and appreciation of our Genevieve.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17 at WindsorMeade at 2:00 pm in the ballroom.

Donations in Genevieve’s honor may be made to: Mt. Horeb (Sturgeon cemetery maintenance fund), Central Bank of Boone County, 117 North Ogden St., Sturgeon, MO 65284. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be expressed at www.nelsenwilliamsburg.com.