World traveler whose home was often a gathering place for her family
HAVERHILL — Elaine A. Crowe, 79, of Haverhill, formerly of North Reading, died on July 19, 2021, after a recurrence of cancer.
Born on April 17, 1942 to Francis John Brinkmann and Alice Lucille Brinkmann, Elaine was the youngest of five siblings: the late Ronald Brinkmann, Elizabeth Corning, Francis Brinkmann and Marjorie O’Brien. She also had a special relationship with her late mother-in-law, Ellen Crowe.
Elaine married Richard (Dick) Howard Crowe and together they had seven children.
In her childhood, Elaine enjoyed dancing, music and spending time with classmates who became her lifelong friends. After marrying, Dick and Elaine moved to North Reading to raise their family. She was a volunteer, including leadership roles in Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls and other youth activities. She was active at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church, including co-founding one of North Reading’s first day care centers.
Elaine’s home was often a social center where her children and their friends spent many hours playing or sharing a meal at her kitchen table. On holidays the family hosted people who had nowhere to go for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Elaine traveled the world with her sisters including visits to Russia, England, Scotland, France, Italy, and Nova Scotia. She enjoyed reading, classical music, opera, and the occasional Broadway show.
Elaine was affectionately known as Meema to all of her grandchildren, whom she loved dearly and her love was reciprocated. Later in life, she settled in the West Meadows community in Haverhill where she could be seen walking her beloved Yorkie, Missy.
Elaine is greatly missed by her daughter, Laurie Ann, and her husband, Jeff Powell, and their children, Bethany, Daniel and his wife, Abigail, Rebecca, Benjamin, and Elijah; her sons Richard Crowe Jr.; William Crowe; James Crowe and his wife, Megan, and their children, Aiden and Madeline; her daughter, Cathryn Crowe and her family, Emily, Hannah and Jackson Korba; her daughter Barbara Swartz and her sons, Timothy, Harrison, Samuel and his daughter, Penelope; and her son, John Crowe and his wife, Robyn, and their children, Madison, Emmett, Nicholas, and Mitchell; along with nieces and nephews too numerous to mention as well as her brother-in-law, Robert Crowe, and her sister-in-law, Barbara Forte.
Visitation will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow St., North Reading, on Friday, July 30, from 4-7 p.m. Her funeral service will be at the funeral home on Saturday, July 31, at 10 a.m. followed by interment at Riverside Cemetery in North Reading.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Elaine’s name to MSPCA at Nevins Farm, 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844. To send an online message of condolence please visit www.crowsellfuneralhome.com.
