Mildred I. Crews

Mildred I. Crews, age 95, of Lancaster, passed away peacefully on Saturday September 4, 2010, at the Grant Regional Health Center, Lancaster.

She was born on February 20, 1915, in rural Green Lake County, Wisconsin, daughter of James Berdett Crook and Edith Amelia (Bazely) Crook. There she grew up and worked with her beloved farm family of eight siblings. She graduated from Randolph High School in 1933. From there she worked a variety of jobs and eventually moved in with her aging parents who had retired to Beaver Dam, during WWII. While living there, she joined the Womens Army Corps in 1943 and served in San Antonio, Texas as a control tower operator.

Mildred Millie I. Crews married Wallace Wally W. Crews in the Methodist Parsonage, Vancouver, Washington, on September 6, 1950. They lived in Oregon state until 1953, moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, finally settling in Lancaster, in 1966.

Millie loved to cook, sew, garden, and be outdoors. She was a very independent person, hard worker (a Jane of all trades), defender of those who had less, and always devoted to her beloved family and close friends. She was very humble, honest, forgiving, and loving, giving service to others with her whole heart. Her greatest joy was to spend time with her family.

She was a woman of faith and committed to her church family. A member of the United Methodist Church from 1966, she participated in the Ruth Circle, church choir, Sunday school, and several committees, including the memorial committee.

Millie worked as an Administrative Assistant at Unified Counseling in Lancaster, for 17 years, retiring on February 20, 1985. She volunteered at the Lancaster Memorial Hospital and was a hospice worker for three years. Millie has walked regularly for exercise since age 65, and continued to do so until her death. She also learned to ride a bicycle at age 65 and took several bicycle trips with her husband Wally.

After retiring, she participated in local, regional, and National Senior Olympic events with Wally from 1984 until his death in 1991, then continued to compete alone until 1997. The Nationals were held every two years beginning in 1986 and Millie participated in each one, including Syracuse, NY (1991), Baton Rouge, LA (1993), San Antonio, TX (1995), and Tucson, AR (1997). She was awarded many gold and silver medals. Millie and Wally traveled all over the United States. Millie loved spending time with her grandchildren, including attending their schools for events and giving talks on physical fitness, and telling her Senior Olympic stories.

Continuing with her physical fitness, Millie was a member of Americas Best Fitness Center in Lancaster from 1998-2004 where she made many close friends.

Until entering Morningside Assisted Living in 2003, Millie kept her own home, yard and garden despite the fact she was losing her eyesight. Morningside became her cherished home where she was well cared for and loved by many. There she became very active in the activities and social events, and made many friends.

Survivors include her children: Valerie I. (Charles Dolan) Curley of Platteville, WI; Warren T. (Elana) Crews of Kinderhook, NY; Marily B. (Douglas) Crews-Nelson of Madison, WI; and Wallys daughter, Carol (Crews) Van Ditti of Tolvana Park, OR. Also surviving are grandchildren: Jonah A. (Crystel) Curley, of Viroqua WI; Erin M. Curley of Madison, WI; Brian T. Curley of Madison, WI, Audrey (Hoffman) (Brian) Hanson of Jacksonville Beach, FL; Sadie B. Crews-Nelson, Madison; three great grandchildren children: Aja, Iris, and Finnegan; a special nephew Bobby Crook and other nieces and nephews.

Millie was preceded in death by her parents and all her siblings: Louise Maas, David Crook, Dorothy Quade, Elnora Spielvogel, Morris Crook, Helen Martin, Margaret Teletzke, and Robert Crook.

Memorial services were held on Friday, September 17, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. at the Lancaster United Methodist Church with Pastor Barbara Cook officiating. Private family burial will be at a later date at Green Lake Cemetery in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. Family and friends called on Friday, September 17, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. until time of services at the church. Schwartz Funeral Home in Lancaster is assisting the family.

In lieu of plants and flowers, the family suggests memorials may be offered to the Wisconsin Counsel of the Blind.