Jean Elizabeth Powers Crenshaw of Shrewsbury, loving wife of Thomas Thompson Crenshaw III and mother to Sarah Haun of Los Altos, California; Betsy (Chris) Kaeli of Monmouth Beach; Rachel (Drew) Hegner of Shrewsbury; and Tommy (Melissa) Crenshaw of Savannah, Georgia, went home to the Lord Feb. 4, 2023, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.
In addition to her children, she is survived by two of her five sisters, Cornelia Courtney and Susan Washburn, and three of her brothers-in-law, Tom Barber, Bob Barker and Gary Washburn.
She was predeceased by her parents, Fremont and Sallie Powers; her sisters, Sally Ann Thomson, Donna Barber and Corinne Barker; her brothers-in-law Ted Thomson and Bill Courtney; and her nephews, Tommy Thomson and Bobby Barker. She leaves behind 10 grandchildren and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.
Jean was the fourth daughter born Jan. 16, 1944, in Oneida, New York, to Freem and Sallie Powers of Watertown, New York. A 1956 graduate of Watertown High School, she went on to graduate from Colby Junior College and launched her career working for the American Embassy in Santiago, Chile. Following her marriage to Tom, she worked in various secretarial positions, donating much of her time to church ministry at churches in Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey.
Jean’s happiest times were spent at their family cottage in Henderson Harbor, New York, where she and Tom shared summers with their children and their families. If you listened carefully, you could hear her laughing and singing with her sisters from White’s Bay to the Gill House. She was a devoted grandmother – “Lovey” – to Jackson, Ella, Sallie, Annabelle, Everett, Wyatt, Wren, Reese, Tommy and Helen and cherished her time with each of them.
Jean’s two favorite things to do were to hold babies and float on a raft. She could frequently be seen doing both along the shores of Lake Ontario when she wasn’t on the roof capping the chimney or cleaning the gutters. She was a hard worker and her energy was legendary. Her many friends were the beneficiaries of her kindness, her generosity, her faith and her laughter. She accumulated dear friends everywhere she went, maintained lifelong friendships, and had an impact on countless lives. She was a valued member of her church families, always willing to share her faith and her kindness. She will be sorely missed by her friends and family.
Jean loved Jesus and she often talked about her readiness to be with him. While Parkinson’s robbed strength from her body, it could never conquer her spirit. Despite the many health issues she suffered, she never gave in or gave up, always looking forward to her new life in heaven.
A celebration of Jean’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 18 at the New Monmouth Baptist Church, 4 Cherry Tree Farm Road, Middletown. A light luncheon will follow the service from 12:30 to 2 p.m., held in the Family Ministry Center at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you remember her with kindness, service and love. Donations can also be made to VNA & Hospice Foundation, or the Parkinson’s Foundation. Thompson Memorial Home of Red Bank has been entrusted with the arrangements.
The article originally appeared in the February 16 – 22, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
