Joyce Alene Crawford

Joyce Alene Crawford, born March 25, 1936, went to be with her Lord on August 17,2024. She was a loving wife to Robert Crawford for 67 years. She was a devoted mother to Kate Elaine Wolf, Bryan Kevin Crawford and Phyllis Anne Ray. Alene and Bob have 4 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. 

Preceding Alene in death were her parents, Allie and Mossie Self; brothers Raymond Self, W.C. Self, and Kenneth Pendergrass. 

Alene is survived by husband, Robert Crawford of Newton, Kansas; son Bryan (Tracy) Crawford of Phoenix, AZ; daughters, Kate (Randy) Wolf of Burns, KS and Phyllis (Carol) Ray of Asheville, NC. Sisters, Marjean Holleman of Los Alamos, NM; Judy (Ed) Barkowsky of Synder, TX; and brother Joe (Bonnie) Self of Albuquerque, NM. As well as 4 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and multiple nieces and nephews. 

Alene was born in Wolfforth, Texas with humble beginnings and lived there until she went to college at Texas Tech University. She graduated in 3 years with a degree in Food and Nutrition. At the encouragement of her parents, all the children pursued a degree and graduated from Texas Tech. 

Alene said the best thing about going to Tech was meeting her loving husband, Bob Crawford in chemistry class. They built a life together based on the devotion to each other and their faith. Bob’s job with the US Dept. of Agricultural moved the family around to small Texas towns then to Syracuse, NY (1975) and Burlington, VT (1978). Bob & Alene made their way back to the southwest in 1983 to Phoenix, AZ, where they eventually retired.

Alene pursued a master’s degree to become a Registered Dietitian (R.D.) at Texas Tech University. She worked various part-time jobs in school lunchroom service, a nursing home and hospital while the kids were at home. After her graduate work was completed at Syracuse University and she received her R.D., she worked as a hospital dietitian and loved it.

After retirement, Alene & Bob spent a month in the New Mexico mountains each summer near Taos and Las Alamos to get out of the Phoenix heat, to fish Cimarron Canyon and visit with family. Alene & Bob loved the return to the “Texan’s playground” of Northern New Mexico where they spent summers in the 60’s and 70’s camping, fishing and snow-skiing in the winters with their children. Alene and Bob continued to make trips back to the Taos, NM area for fishing and visiting family thru 2021. Their children joined them numerous times to relive their childhood memories and, of course, play dominoes and cards. 

In 2004, Alene & Bob left the deserts of AZ to move to Asheville, NC where their daughter Phyllis and family live. In 2009, Alene and Bob moved to Newton, KS, where daughter, Kate and Randy Wolf live nearby. They settled into small town life and enjoyed their new church family at Grace Community Church. 

Alene was an avid reader and worked the daily newspaper crossword puzzles with Bob. She loved to play games, from Bridge, Canasta, Dominoes, & board games. This is a great family tradition that has been passed down to all including their great grandchildren. Alene was a wonderful cook; she could cook for 2 up to any number of people in a group. Her children have especially fond memories of home-made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She loved to cook, and Bob loved to eat her food.

Alene will be truly missed; it is impossible to express the loss by her family and those who knew her.

 Visitation will be Tuesday, August 20, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. The funeral service will be the following day at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at Grace Community Church, 1600 S. Anderson Rd in Newton. A graveside service will follow the service at Greenwood Cemetery.