Obituary of Jack Hanna Crow

Jack Hanna Crow, of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, died on April 19, 2025.  He was born on June 20, 1924 in Hollywood, California to Edward Hanna Crow Sr. and Elsa Meta "Nana" Busch (Crow).  He leaves behind wife Margaret Ellen Diehl (Crow), children David Alan Crow (Maggie), Randall Gordon Crow (Liz) and Steven Murray Crow (Kaye Jeanne Newberry), Debra Ellen Guseman (Richard M. Rush Jr.), Sharon Gail Guseman (John Ronan Wall) and Rebecca Dian Guseman (Richard Tilden Harris); grandchildren Gregory Alan Crow, Stephanie Elizabeth Crow (Kirk Hoffacker), Jennifer Alison Crow (Christopher Young), Christine Frances Crow (William Podrazky), Shaun Robert Crow (Sara), Kelley Elizabeth Crow (Garrett Frost), Scott Randall Crow (Sophie), Randall P. Bruns, Robert Lee Bruns (Kristine), Jennifer Michelle Bruns (Anthony Harroun), Richard Bruns, Heather Christine Brooks (Victor Zanotti), Megan Melissa Brooks (Michael Durkin), Steven Joseph Hammer (Jessica) and Robert Lee Guseman; great grandchildren Savannah Elizabeth Hoffacker, Brooke Michelle Hoffacker, Liam Garrett Frost, Elizabeth Mae "Lilla" Frost, Kendall Bruns, Austin Ike, Brianne Harroun (Matt), Sydney Rose Zanotti, Owen Ross Durkin and Ella Grace Hammer; and great great grandchild Kalley Mathijssen. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews Robert Jordan Crow (Belinda), Pamela Jane Crow (Howard Freedman), Debra Ann Crow (David Houston), Marcia Ruth Proudfoot (Corenman), Alfred Champlin Proudfoot, III, and Malcolm Whitfield Proudfoot (Linda).

He was predeceased by his parents, sister Elsa Jane Crow, brothers Edward Hanna Crow Jr. and Robert Busch Crow, mother of his children Dorothy Cynthia Proudfoot (Crow) and stepson Robert Alan Guseman.

Jack served the U. S. Army Air Corps in WWII as a Warrant Officer JG, 54th AAFTTD, commanding a Radar Station Fort Sherman in the Panama Canal Zone.

He received his Bachelors and Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Wisconsin, and his PhD/DSc in Electrical Engineering from Washington University.

Jack worked in the aerospace industry starting with a Navy Torpedo Plant (Saint Louis MO), NRD Instruments (Saint Louis MO), Electro-Mechanical Research (Schlumberger) (Sarasota FL), Sonex (Philadelphia PA), Acton Laboratories (Bowmar)(Acton MA), Defense Electronics (Rockville MD), Tri-Com (Rockville MD), Metraplex (Frederick MD).  He also built homes in the Saint Louis MO area while he was working on his PhD.

While living in Sarasota, Florida (1958-1964) he was one of the founders of two projects sponsored by the First Congregational Church: New College and Plymouth Harbor, a 25-story retirement community and of New College in the former Charles Ringling Mansion.

A lifelong outdoorsman, sports participant on U. of Wisconsin Rowing Team, sailor, water and snow skier who also tried to live on or near water.  His numerous climbs of Long’s Peak (14,256’) even to the age of 82 resulted in the summit in 1993 and are family legend.

He was known throughout the Masonic Village community as the “Jokester” with daily deliveries of jokes and cartoons as he visited his love Margaret multiple times each day.  Seeing him water ski in his Gorilla Suit, banana in hand was emblematic of his desire to make us laugh and enjoy life.

A Memorial Service was held at the Health Care Center Chapel Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania for his wife, friends and caregivers.  A Celebration of Life will be held at the Crow Family burial site at Wildey Cemetery, 1130 Wildey Way, Washington, Missouri 63090 on what would have been his 101^st birthday, June 20, 2025.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation, 1244 Bainbridge Road, Elizabethtown, PA 17022.