Carolyn Crawley

Carolyn Dolores Crawley (nee Butler) was born on February 17, 1939 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania to the late Marie Moses (nee Henry) and Preston Butler.

Carolyn was the fourth of eight children, and had six sisters and one brother: Virginia “Jenny” Jackson, Jean Brightful (deceased), Mary Louise “Marylou” Allen (nee Butler, deceased), Phyllis Moses, Severn Moses, Alyce (Moses-Ellis) Spence, and Deborah Hobbs (Leroy).

Carolyn was educated in the Lower Merion School system, and after graduating from high school she attended Pennsylvania State University on a full scholarship, before marrying Roy Adolphus Crawley from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 14, 1958. They had four children: twins Karen and Kevin, Kirk, and Renee’.

Roy served in the Air Force for 20 years, and Carolyn and family accompanied him to official duty stations in Taiwan (where Karen and Kevin were born), Turkey, Maryland (twice), and Japan. When Roy got stationed in Thailand for a year, Carolyn and the children got stationed at Salinas Air Force Base in Kansas, “the Home for Waiting Wives.”

After Roy retired from the Air Force in 1974 with the rank of Technical Sergeant, Roy and Carolyn bought a house in Odenton, where Carolyn resided until her passing.

Carolyn completed college at what is now Bowie State University, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Master’s degree in Guidance Counseling. Carolyn began her career with the Anne Arundel County Public School System as a teacher’s aide, then a teacher, and finally retired as a Guidance Counselor.

Carolyn was warm, friendly and outgoing, adapting readily to diverse environments; this ability enabled her to easily pick up and speak different languages, which was beneficial while living off-base in Turkey and Japan. Carolyn was a member of the Ft. Meade Protestant community for decades, participating in what is now the Contemporary Worship Service at 6th Armored Cavalry Chapel (Chapel Next), as well as the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC).

Carolyn Crawley was very creative and loved to try new things; she loved poetry and inspired her children to likewise love the arts. Carolyn was also very accomplished in crafting, creating one-of-a-kind treasures that were the talk of the community. Carolyn’s other hobbies/interests included knitting, cake decorating, and reading.

Carolyn Crawley was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who truly loved, and was truly loved by, her family.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband of almost 65 years, Roy, sisters Marylou Allen and Jean Brightful, and nieces and nephews Jacqueline “Jackie” Jackson, William “Billy” Jackson, Keith Allen, Albert Saunders, and Patricia “Patty” Brightful.

Carolyn is survived by her four children: twins Karen Crawley-Buckholtz (David) and Kevin (Cheryl), Kirk, and Renee’; grandchildren Brandon Buckholtz, Brenda Delbrey, Danielle Crawley, Shana Buckholtz, Natalie Green (Daniel), Arianna Crawley, Tyrie Coles (Jeanette), Antonio Cornish (Kimberly), Tonney Thorpe (Elroyd), and Tynieshi Smith; nieces and nephews Robert “Bobby” Butler, Cathy (Muhammad) Ofori, Sondra Butler (Charles Thompson), Susan Campbell (Delroy), Nicholas “Nicky” Allen, Sharon Allen-Spann (Randy), Demeca Hobbs, Chris Hobbs, Jennifer Saunders, Barbara Brightful, Benjamin “Ben” Moses, Nicole “Nikki” Ellis, El Get, Khara Zellars (Andre), and Cary Moses; 20 great-grandchildren; numerous second cousins and extended family; and a host of friends who became family over the years.

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