Louise Staggs Crowe

View Funeral Webcast Louise Staggs Crowe, 100, retired teacher and long-time resident of Crest Street, died Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at NHC Columbia. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Frank Smith and Rev. Scott Aleridge officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. Family and friends will gather Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols and from 1:00 p.m. to service time Saturday in the Church Atrium. The family suggests memorials to First United Methodist Church, 222 West 7th Street, Columbia 38401. Messages of condolence may be extended at oakesandnichols.com. Born in the Loretto Community, she was the daughter of the late Rev. Benjamin Jackson Staggs, a circuit-riding Methodist minister, and Rosa Lee Evans Staggs. After graduating from high school in Lawrence County, she enrolled at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski in 1931. She began teaching in 1935 in Franklin County and returned to Martin where she graduated in 1937. She taught in Humphreys County from 1940-1941. Mrs. Crowe came to Maury County to teach third and fifth grades in 1941 at Highland Elementary School where she taught until her retirement in 1975. During these years she earned a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro in 1949. Throughout her teaching career, she emphasized to hundreds of students the attributes of good citizenship. She was a long-time, faithful member of First United Methodist Church, the Ayres-Whitney Fellowship Sunday School Class, and Dorothy Jackson Circle of United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Maury County Retired Teachers Association. Her husband, Thomas William "Tom" Crowe, died July 17, 1989.She was also preceded in death by sisters, Beulah Wofford, Velma Hobbs, Carrie Gwinn, and Ruth Doss; brothers, Clarence Staggs, Percy Staggs, Owen Staggs, and Bill Staggs; a niece, Juanita Staggs Doucet; nephew, Billy Staggs; and step-son, Thomas William Crowe, Jr. Mrs. Crowe is survived by step-granddaughters, Kathy Morris of Albequerqe, New Mexico, Connie Jones of Asheville, North Carolina, and Dr. Deborah Neel of Raleigh, North Carolina; a great-nephew, John (Amy) Doucet of Dripping Springs, Texas; great-nieces, Denise Burch of Blanco, Texas and Jackie Caffey of Alvin, Texas; several step-great-grandchildren; and several other nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Serving as pallbearers are Carl Herr, Mike James, Ben Jones, Thomas Jones, and John Doucet.