Clifford H. CROWE, Jr.

CROWE, WOHENBERG, KENNEDY, BILLIARD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/3/2008 at 11:59:23

Clifford H. Crowe, Jr., 86, Kokomo, Indiana, a former resident of Clarion, died Saturday, December 22, 2007 at his home. A celebration of life will be held Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 11 a.m. at United Church of Christ Congregational in Clarion. Revs. Jon Tice and Jim Jacobs officiated, Rev. John Staton delivered the eulogy, followed by military honors. A graveside service was held Saturday, December 29th at 11 a.m. at the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion with military honors provided by U.S. Air Force.

He was born March 12, 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Clifford H. and Norine (Wohenberg) Crowe, Sr. He graduated from Clarion High School in 1938 and served as drum major during his senior year. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1942 and earned his MBA degree from Harvard in 1947. While in college he held leadership positions in the ROTC program. He received a direct commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, enlisting in 1942. He was a part of the 384th Bomb Group established in England which ran bombing raids on ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt, Germany on June 22, 1943. Cliff was promoted to major and became adjutant of the 94th Combat Wing. Cliff loved "leading the band" and his high school experience as drum major led him to orchestrating the right mix in his military also. He served as a member of the Pershing Rifles while involved in the ROTC program at Iowa University and was also in the ROTC Drum and Bugle Corps. At the conclusions of the war, Cliff was made deputy commander for a group returning to pickup up B-29 bombers. When discharged with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he received the usual American Citations with a Bronze Star and the prestigious French Fourragere. Cliff completed a total of 22 years of honorable service in the armed forces.

Cliff was the manager of J.C. Penney's in Kokomo from 1964 to 1984. He served in administration at Howard Regional Health Service on a part-time basis after his retirement. His memberships included the United Church of Christ Congregational in Clarion, Kokomo Country Club and Rotary International. He was a member and past president of the following organizations: Kokomo Area Chamber of Commerce, Grissom Air Base Community Council, Howard Community Hospital Foundation Board, and Howard Convention and Visitors Bureau. He served on the following boards: Mayor's Committee on Drug Abuse, Kokomo Center Schools Distributive Education Committee, Rotary Club, Kokomo YMCA, Kokomo Country Club, Credit Bureau of Kokomo, Kokomo Development Corp., Junior Achievement, Indiana Retail Council and Kokomo Progress Committee to Review Police and Fire Department.

He was married to Ina Crowe in Kokomo. Cliffe Jr. is survived by his wife, Ina; three sons, C.H. "Pat" Crowe III and his wife, Tricia of Rochester, Michigan; Ed Crowe and wife, Mary of Bakersfield, California; Joe Kennedy of Indianapolis; one daughter, Carol Billiard and husband, James of Kokomo; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Oncology Department or the VNS Hospice Care of Howard Regional Hospital and/or the Memorial Fund of the UCC Congregational Church in Clarion.

Wright County Monitor
January 3, 2008