Barbara Jean (Cave) Crowl, 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, at the Presbyterian Manor in Salina, surrounded by her family. Death was due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 34 years, Arthur Clark Crowl; son, Randy (Donna) Johnson; daughters Sandy (Keith) Unrein and Cindi (Randy) Dowdell; her only sibling, Neal (Roberta) Cave; two granddaughters, Lindsay (Jonathan) McPhail and Kelly (Drew) Nicholls; and grandsons Kellen (Cierra) Johnson and Ashon Dowdell. She also is survived by two great-grandsons, Kai and Keiran McPhail.
Barbara was born on Dec. 27, 1929, in Redfield, Iowa, three months after the beginning of the Great Depression, the daughter of Howard Cave and Iola Shook. Barbara’s mother passed when she was 5 years old, and she was raised by her father and his wife Vera (Spring). She graduated from Redfield High School in 1947 and raised her family in Kansas in the communities of Great Bend, Beloit and Hays. Barbara moved back to her roots in the Des Moines, Iowa, area and remarried on Jan. 1, 1982, to Arthur Clark Crowl; they were married for 34 years, until her death. Clark and Barbara made their home in Dexter, Iowa, retiring to Green Valley and Wickenburg, Ariz., before moving back to Salina in 2005.
In addition to being a homemaker, she also worked outside the home at various businesses over the years in the different communities in which she lived. Barb was an avid sports fan her entire life and played basketball for Redfield High School in the late ‘40s. She was an active participant in the lives of her children and of sports programs in Beloit and Hays, making efforts to raise funds for local school sports programs for needed equipment.
Perhaps the best description of Barb was written by her publications instructor in high school, when she described her this way: “She’s full of pep, vigor and vim, tempest and sunshine according to whim”.
She never knew a stranger, and was always willing to do the right thing, regardless of the circumstances. The family would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Presbyterian Manor in Salina for their exceptional care of Barbara in the final years of her life, as the ravages of Alzheimer’s slowly took their ultimate toll.
Per Barbara’s request, a private family viewing has taken place and inurnment will take place later this spring at Wiscotta Cemetery in Redfield, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, the family has arranged for memorials to Presbyterian Manor, 2601 E. Crawford, Salina 67401, and noted for Barbara Crowl of friendship lane. Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401, is handling arrangements.