Wilma Crowe’s friends described her as a friend you could count on, a soft-spoken and kind person, someone who constantly wore a smile, someone to admire and respect, and a person of great faith.

Wilma, who grew up on Stoney Creek and lived in the Wilbur Dam community for many years before moving to Kingsport, died July 18 at the age of 85. She was the widow of Coach Dan Crowe, who taught school and coached track at Hampton High School before moving to Kingsport. He was also author of several books including “Horseshoe People.”

Wilma, too, was a teacher, having taught mathematics at Elizabethton High School before moving to Rural Hall, N.C., and later at Ross Robinson Junior High School and Dobyns-Bennett High School, where she retired.

Her sister, Geraldine Pierce, shared that when Wilma attended Milligan College, she would ride the Stoney Creek bus to Elizabethton, and catch another bus to Milligan College. In the afternoon, she would catch the Johnson City bus returning to Elizabethton. During her Milligan College years, she also worked at the old Seven-Hour Laundry in Elizabethton. 

Wilma received her Bachelor’s degree from Milligan College and her Master’s degree from East Tennessee State University.

She and Coach Crowe lived in the Horseshoe community for many years. It was where Dan also spent his growing-up years. “They loved the Horseshoe and living there. They lived in the old Horseshoe School and could look out across the Wilbur Dam. It was such a peaceful and inviting place,” said Geraldine.

When the couple secured teaching jobs in Kingsport, it was no longer feasible to drive from their Horseshoe home, so they moved to Kingsport and sold the Horseshoe house. Yet, they continued to attend Siam Baptist Church, where they both taught Sunday School classes.

“Both, Wilma and Dan were faithful to their church at Siam. After Dan died Wilma continued the drive from Kingsport to Siam until the drive became too much for her,” said Wilma’s long-time friend, Jessie Montgomery. “Wilma was a prayer warrior. When I visited with her after she moved to the Asbury Place, I would take her the prayer list from church, and she would say, ‘I can’t attend church, but I can pray.’”

Jessie noted that Wilma was a good cook and was noted for her baked beans, which she always brought to church dinners.

“After Dan became sick and when I visited them, Wilma and I often would go out to eat, and we would get onion rings, some of which we always took back to Dan. He would receive them with a chuckle,” said Jessie.

Wilma’s sister said church had always been an important part of Wilma’s life. Growing up, she attended the Watauga Valley Free Will Baptist Church, where she also taught Sunday School. “In fact, when she and Dan were married, it was the first formal wedding held at Watauga Valley,” said Geraldine.

“Wilma was someone you could always count on. She was the same every time you saw her. I had a lot of respect for both her and Dan,” said Charlotte Montgomery, another Siam friend.

Wilma was a 1952 graduate of Unaka High School.

She taught school for close to 40 years.

Jessie also remembers Wilma as being a very giving person and very supportive of her husband. “He was into history and wrote several books and booklets, and she always encouraged him in whatever he did,” Jesse shared.

The couple were parents of a daughter, Judy Reedy, who died last August. “This was very hard on Wilma and she had a hard time getting through it,” said Jessie. Dan died in 2005.

“The last few times I visited her, she cried and talked about Dan and Judy. She wanted to go be with them, and she was ready to go,” said Jessie.

As a person, Wilma Crowe was numbered among the best. As a teacher, she knew that every problem had a solution. The answer may not come easily or instantly, but it would come. Wilma’s faith taught that, and she wholeheartedly believed it.

Rest assured, Wilma Crowe touched many lives during her teaching career, both in school and at church.

She was laid to rest in Wilson Cemetery on Stoney Creek. The Stoney Creek bus doesn’t run anymore, Wilma’s school days are behind her, the little house in the Horseshoe has been replaced with a scenic log house, but the memories of Wilma remain.