Judith Crow, 94

Maria Judith "Judie" Nations Crow, 94, died peacefully on Sept. 13, 2010, at Sylvan House in Hayden after a long decline. She was born Sept. 1, 1916, in El Paso, Texas, the seventh and last child of Dr. Joseph Daniel Nations of Jalisco, Mexico, and Judith Nations of Vera Cruz, Mexico.

The family had fled their home in Mexico City to escape the Mexican Revolution of 1910. A joke, current at the time, claimed that hundreds of ex-patriots had come to America for their health because "Pancho Villa was chasing them."

Everyone had to learn English when they came to the states. Judith was the only one to complete high school since the older ones were obliged to support the family especially since her father died prematurely under suspicious circumstances. Judith took secretarial courses and stayed in that field for her working life. That included caring for her mother at home, who had had a stroke and was an invalid until she died.

In 1941 she married Lester James Crow, a handsome young Lieutenant she met at a U.S.O. dance at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was heading off to WWII in Europe. Lester had earned a degree in mining engineering at Washington State College (now WSU) and was drafted a short time later. When WWII ended, Capt. Lester J. Crow returned and the family settled in Kellogg where Lester went to work for the Bunker Hill Co. as a mining engineer.

Judith was very active in local circles. She was prominent in the organization of the West Shoshone Hospital District and was then appointed to the original board of trustees for that district by the county commissioners, serving as secretary/treasurer. She was re-elected to the board in 1957 for a six-year term.

Mrs. Crow was also active in PTA work. She served as president of the Sunnyside PTA and on the Shoshone County Council. Also, she was a board member of the Idaho Congress of PTA and a past president of the Kellogg Jay Cettes.

Mrs. Crow was employed by the Bunker Hill Co. in the purchasing department. Later she served as secretary to W.A. Boyer, manager of the Industrial Engineering Department. In 1959 Lester Crow accepted a position as a mining technology adviser at the Government Technical Institute of the Union of Burma (Myanmar) in S.E. Asia under the auspices of the Ford Foundation. Judith's lifelong passion for travel was realized as the Crow family left Kellogg and traveled to Burma halfway around the world stopping over in Hawaii, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Thailand and Saigon, Vietnam. After nearly two years in Burma and having many interesting experiences, they returned to Idaho settling in Coeur d'Alene where she spent the next 49 years. On their way home, the family completed their trip around the world by visiting 13 more countries and seeing sights such as: The Taj Mahal in India, the pyramids of Egypt, the Holy Land/Jerusalem, the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, the Coliseum in Rome, Italy, the last bull fight of the season in Madrid, Spain, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, Big Ben in London, England and the beautiful cities of Geneva, Switzerland, Munich, Germany, Amsterdam, the Netherlands and others.

Lester went to work as a design engineer with the Idaho State Highway Department. Mrs. Crow resumed working in the secretarial field. She went to work as a secretary and sales manager for Pendar Inc. in Post Falls. She also worked as a secretary in an attorney's office.

Judith loved theater, acting in numerous local plays over the years. She was director of the Coeur d'Alene Community Theatre for awhile. Among her favorite hobbies were sewing, tennis and golf. Judith N. Crow always loved animals. She fed any stray cat or dog that came to her home. She was one of the original founders of the Kootenai Humane Society in Coeur d'Alene. She was actively involved for more than 20 years; serving as president, secretary, volunteer for fund drives, supporter of a no-kill facility, volunteer at the Kootenai Humane Society Thrift Store and in any other way she could. Long before Mrs. Crow entered the Sylvan House of Assisted Living, she had donated her home to the Kootenai Humane Society to obtain, maintain and run a no-kill facility for animals whose owners could no longer take care of them. On her grave plaque she requested the words: "A True Friend of the Animals."

Judith N. Crow was preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband, Lester, who died in 1991 and her son, Dennis, who died in 1987. She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth "Suzie;" grandson Eric; granddaughter Jennifer; great-granddaughters Jasmine, Liliana and Christina; and numerous extended family residing in Texas, California and Mexico.

Judith N. Crow was personable, funny and generous. She will be missed by many.

The memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d'Alene Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Lester and Judith Crow Scholarship Fund, North Idaho College Foundation, 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814.

Visit Judith's online memorial and sign her guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.