Roger Crowe

Mr. Roger Claiborne Crowe, 82, of LaFollette passed away on Tuesday, January 31, 2017.  Roger was born in 1934 in Glasgow, Montana, to parents who were rooted in Campbell County, Tennessee.  Travel back and forth created in Roger a life-long love of steam engines and train travel.  The family returned to LaFollette, following World War II, and he was a graduate of LaFollette High School and from Tennessee Tech University in 1956.  It was during this time he met the beautiful Carolyn Walters, whom he married in 1957.  Roger was essentially a student all his life.  His love of books and the intellectual journey was displayed in his extensive library, anchored in history, philosophy and theology.  His early career was varied, but he found his true calling as a teacher.  In 1984 he began a 33-year teaching career at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville.  This became the great challenge of his life, instilling his own love of learning in students preparing for careers in business management.  He earned a MS.Ed from East Tennessee State University in 1988 and the mission of the community college became his guiding light. He worked tirelessly for his students, particularly in the Business Capstone curriculum.  His efforts were repaid in the many students who called him mentor – his family often said he couldn’t go anywhere without a former student recognizing him and stopping to chat.  His service and dedication to Pellissippi was recognized in 1995 with the Outstanding Fulltime Faculty Award in 1995 and Excellence in Teaching Award in 2007.  On his 80th birthday, Pellissippi honored him with a reception and a proclamation of “Roger Crowe Day” by the Mayor of Knox County.  He retired in 2016 as Associate Professor of Management in the Business and Computer Technology Department.  Another important facet of his life was his commitment to his church, serving as a United Methodist Lay Minister, and teaching adult Sunday School for decades.

He is survived by Carolyn, his wife of 59 years, daughters Rev. Brynne Crowe, of Coatesville, PA and Susan Collier (Mark) of Knoxville.  Two grandsons, Jackson and Isaac, both of Knoxville. Sister-in-law Marjorie Rutledge, Gray, Tennessee, several nieces and nephews, cousins, and other relatives and many friends. The family wishes to thank friends and caregivers, Renae and Jeff Guy and family of LaFollette, and the staff of 2nd Central at Tennova St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville for their compassion and tender care.

The family will receive friends from 2:00-4:00pm on Saturday, February 4 at LaFollette United Methodist Church, with a service following, officiated by Rev. Chris Stanfield. Burial will be private. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in honor of Mr. Crowe at: Pellissippi State Foundation, ATTN: Business Administration Technology Award, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville, TN 37933, or on-line at: giving.pstcc.edu.  Online condolences for Mr. Crowe may be made at www.waltersfuneralhome.net.  Walters Funeral Home of LaFollette is honored to be serving the family of Mr. Roger Claiborne Crowe.