Obituary of Wilma Crews

Wilma Crews, 95, passed away on August 16, 2024 in Chapel Hill, NC. Wilma displayed a Southern cordiality to everyone she knew and met. She commonly greeted both close friends, the newly encountered, and all those in between as “Honey” and “Sweetie”, and they could expect a friendly pat on the arm often accompanied by “I love you”. She was an avid reader and enjoyed gardening. But most of all, she relished her friends and family. Wilma had a large group of acquaintances and relatives extending from Oregon, Texas and Ohio to Virginia, Florida and the Carolinas, whom she kept in frequent contact with. Many of her local friends she met while attending University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill. At church, she was active in Methodist Women, attended Pastor’s Bible Study, and volunteered in various capacities.

Born on Oct 13, 1928 in Tabor City, NC, Wilma grew up in the Claussen community of Florence, SC, graduating from Florence High School. As a graduate of Coker College in Hartsville, SC, Wilma was president of South Dormitory, First Vice President of Student Government, and Chairman of the Joint Council.

An elementary school teacher, she taught in New York, North Carolina and Texas. Beginning her career in Southampton, Long Island, NY, she describes her progression as a teacher of 7 and 8-year-olds in her entertaining May, 1950 account “The Thoughts of a First Year Teacher”. She initially writes “Those first eight weeks of teaching were day and nightmares”. She knew “what to teach” but not “how to teach”. She may have had the “normalest normal group in captivity. The little annoyances – tripping a schoolmate, straggling in line, pinching, pulling hair, marking on papers, taking pencils, trying to be the first in everything, always late – these abounded in Room 30!” But in the end, she wrote “Few teachers could have had such a wonderful start as I and with such a nice group”.

On June 22, 1952, Wilma married Roy E. Crews. He passed away in 2007. Wilma is survived by her son, Stephen Crews and wife Aggie Crews who reside in Chapel Hill, and her grandchildren, Travis Crews who lives in Mebane, NC, and Kelsey Lange and her husband Michael Lange who reside in Charlotte, NC.

Wilma is predeceased by her parents Gorce and Betty Carmichael, her brother Glenn, and sister Annie Kate. She is survived by her brother, Luther Carmichael and wife Lucretia, of Fort Worth, TX. Wilma was thankful that son Stephen and wife Aggie could lovingly care for her this past year. She was also grateful for the additional attentive care provided by her niece Rhonda Eckhardt of Florence, SC, and UNC Hospice.

Memorial service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, August 29 at University United Methodist Church, Chapel Hill. Memorial contributions may be made to either: the University United Methodist Church, 150 E. Franklin St., PO Box 728, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 or UNC Hospice, PO Box 1077, Pittsboro, NC 27312.