Jean Crowder

Mrs. Valda Gene (McMew) Crowder, 73, of Navasota passed away Monday, January 23, 2012 at the St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan. The family received visitors from 5-9pm Wednesday, January 25, and funeral services were set for 2pm Thursday, both at Nobles Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Henry Sanders officiating. Interment followed in the Oakland Cemetery.
Jean was born in Big Spring, TX, the daughter of R.X. and Lillie Ruth (McGuire) McNew, and was raised on a ranch. She was the third oldest of 9 siblings, (5 girls, 4 boys). She helped raise her younger brothers and sisters while her parents ran the farm. She met Charles O. Crowder when she was 16 and married at 17 in July of 1955. She traveled with Charles in the Airforce, and their first child Randy was born in 1959. In 1962, second child Marty was born, and in1963 another son, Danny. Over the years, Jean and her family lived in Kentucky, California, Arizona, & Texas. She enjoyed raising her sons, they were her priority. She loved to sing, which she was great at. She was very active in bowling prior to her illness, loved the sport and her teammates! Jean helped Charles run their own business, mainly service stations in Kentucky. After selling the business and retiring, they traveled some and moved to Texas to be with their sons and grandchildren. Shortly afterwards Jean started working at Wal-Mart in Navasota. She quickly became loved by her co-workers and customers and became known as the famous "Ms. Jean" in electronics. Her siblings described her as a woman who loved the Lord, and family was her life. She was always positive and found the good in everyone. She always cared about others and was never selfish. Jean was the best homemade cream gravy maker in the world, according to her sons. She always had macaroni and cheese waiting for the grandkids, along with plenty of sweets.
In the second half of 2009 when she learned she had cancer, she was ready to fight the battle at all costs. Doctors sent her to San Antonio and then to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Jean was very proud of the fact that the doctors allowed her to have a stem cell transplant at the age of 72, and she came home cancer free!! Her desire was to be well and go back to work at Wal-Mart to be with all of her friends and people in the community, which she accomplished! At the beginning of 2012, Jean began to get tired and something didn't seem quite right. After many tests it was quickly learned that the cancer had returned and she was ready to fight the battle again. However, the Lord had different plans for her and took her to be with Him in Heaven. Jean will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, R.X. and Lillie Ruth (McGuire) McNew; brothers, Bill McNew, James (Roy) McNew and Rexie McNew; and sister-in-law, Georgia McNew.
She is survived by her husband, Charles O. Crowder of Navasota; sons and daughters-in-law, Randy Crowder of Navasota, Marty D. and Angela Crowder of Breckenridge, and Danny B. and Jamie R. Crowder of Conroe; sisters and brothers-in-law, Joy and Robert Howland and Carolyn and Jimmy Rodgers, all of Big Spring, Sharon and Robert Husson of Blue Ridge, and Barbara and Danny Clark of Cahoma; brother and sisters-in-law, Pat McNew of Athens, Diane McNew of Brewton, AL, Pat McNew of Gonzales, and Bobby D. McNew of Edinburgh; grandchildren, Billy Crowder, Shaun Crowder, Aleesha Elliott, Amber Jester, Tyler Crowder, Brien Crowder and Chase Crowder; and great-grandchildren, Taylor Crowder, Abbey Crowder, Annika Crowder and Russell Elliott, III.
Serving as pallbearers were Skipper Howland of Snyder, Brian D. Clark of Oklahoma City, OK, Brandon Rodgers of Big Spring, Tyler Crowder of Navasota, Jimmy Wayne Rodgers of Big Spring and Billy Bob Scroggins of Burnett.