Barbara E. Crow

Beloved mother, wife, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend Barbara Elizabeth Crow crossed into the next life peacefully, surrounded by her family, on February 17th. She was a person of great strength, beauty, and compassion. She imparted her values of fair play, justice, integrity, honesty, and respect for the dignity of all mankind to her children Alice, Jonathan, Sarah, Melanie, and Elizabeth. She offered kindness and compassion to those who needed it most, in this way carrying out one of Jesus’ most important tenets: “Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,  you did for me” (Matthew 25:40.) She was a very spiritual person, and she will be missed by all those whose lives she touched. She had a keen sense of humor and her smile could not just brighten a room—it would fill that room with light. This world won't be the same without her, but she will live on in our kindness and love towards others.

Barbara Elizabeth Crow was born on April 7, 1940 in Christchurch, New Zealand, to Heather and Norman Hulme.

She received a Teacher’s Certificate from Christchurch Teachers College, New Zealand, and taught elementary school. She worked as a journalist for a magazine and then for The Christchurch Star.  She was also a freelance writer. In the 1970s, she worked for Radio New Zealand in both Christchurch and Auckland, as a news reporter and as a volunteer assistant in the establishment of Radio Rhema, New Zealand’s first Christian radio station.

Barbara married Judson Lewis Crow of Little Rock, Arkansas, in Japan, in 1964, and they lived in Japan, in various places in the United States, and in New Zealand.

Barbara attended Minnesota State University, Moorhead, in the 1980s and she was an exceptional student. She worked part-time as a classical and jazz programmer/announcer for Northern Lights Public Radio in Grand Forks, North Dakota from 1995-1997. She was an administrative assistant at the North Dakota Museum of Art from 1997 until 2003.

She was a consummate and skilled writer, and an inspirational poet, having written a book of poems, Coming Up for Light and Air, a winner of the New Rivers Press Voices Contest. The book was partially inspired by the death of her son, Jonathan, at age 23.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Jay, her children, Sarah Morrau of Fargo, ND; Melanie Crow (Isaac) of Kalamazoo, MI; Elizabeth Granchalek (Karl) of Park Ridge, NJ; her daughter Alice Sollis (Mark) of Timaru, New Zealand (adopted daughter of Pam and John Russell, of Oamaru, New Zealand; and stepdaughter Lorrie, of New Orleans, LA. She is also survived by grandchildren Katie, Carter, Jack of Fargo, ND; Milo and Millie of Kalamazoo, MI; Benjamin and Emma of Park Ridge, NJ; Andrew (Carlee) of Fargo, ND; step-grandchildren Julian and Marty Jr. of New Orleans, LA.

She is survived by her sisters, Rosalie (Mark) Borland of Christchurch, NZ; Marilyn (Gordon) Futter of Auckland, NZ; brother Douglas, of Christchurch, NZ.

She was aunt to Katie and Michael Bamford, Anna  (Peter)Tyson, James Tyson, and John Tyson, all of Christchurch, NZ, and of Lahnae (Matt) Cleaver, and Derek  (Ali) Futter of Brisbane, Australia; Sarah Crow Biracree of NY; Rachel Crow Aouini of Huntington Beach, CA;  Sam Crow of NY.

She was a great-aunt to:  Vaughan, Idaline, Judson, Kent, Jacob, Naida, and Matthew, and Joshua, all of Christchurch, NZ; Judah, Scarlett, and Gabriel of Auckland, NZ; Maya and Luna of Brisbane, Australia; Tristan, Asma, and Aycha of Huntington Beach, CA; and Tabitha and Ayelet, Beacon, NY.

She was a sister-in-law of Charles Patrick Crow, of New York, and niece of Mary, Joyce, Ray and June Neale, and niece by love of Norma Polson, both of Christchurch, NZ.

A special thanks to Barbara's caregivers at Valley Eldercare and Hospice of the Red River Valley. They loved and knew her well and cared for her well.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to North Dakota Museum of Art and North Dakota Public Radio.

A private memorial service (which will be live-streamed through St. Paul’s Church) will be held June 19^th at 3:00.