Richard Lee Crews

Richard Lee (Dick) Crews, 90, formerly of Odessa, died Monday, Nov. 30, of complications from Alzheimer's disease at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg.

Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Ralph O. Jones Funeral Home, 306 S. 2nd St., Odessa, MO, 64076, 816-633-5524. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at the First Christian Church in Odessa with Rev. Jay Thornton and Rev. Paul Channels, officiating. Burial in Odessa Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Dick’s life may be made to the Karen Bell Choir at the First Christian Church in Odessa. Pallbearers: Gerald Crews, Robert Crabtree, Carl Crabtree, Michael Crews, Michael Ekey, Geoff Ekey, Jon Ekey and Mark Rider.

Dick was born June 2, 1925, in Marshall, the son of Raymond E. and Mabel (Brown) Crews. The family moved to Cameron, then settled in Odessa, where Raymond operated a real estate and insurance agency. Dick and Carmen (Morrison) Crews were married Oct. 6, 1946, at the First Christian Church in Odessa.

Dick and Carmen were 1943 graduates of Odessa High School. He served and trained during World War II in the Army Air Forces, September 1943 to March 1946. After military service, he returned to Odessa and joined Morrison Truck and Tractor, a family business selling and servicing International Harvester farm equipment. The business was owned and operated for 30 years by his father-in-law, Cameron C. Morrison. Dick worked in general management and accounting for the IH dealership, and he made many friends in the farming community.

When Morrison Truck and Tractor closed in 1967 due to the retirement of C.C. Morrison, Dick worked briefly for Robey Truck and Tractor in Higginsville, then joined the accounting firm of Stosberg, Davis, Musgrave and Attwood in Higginsville, as an accountant. He helped conduct financial audits of regional businesses and organizations, and he provided income tax consultation and services to many individuals until his retirement in 1990.

He served as the First Christian Church’s financial secretary for more than 50 years. He was an elder and deacon in the church, and he enjoyed singing tenor in the church choir. He served several years as treasurer for the Odessa Cemetery Association.

He was a past member of the Odessa Jaycees, and was president of the Odessa High School Quarterback Club in the late 1960s. He and Carmen enjoyed playing cards and were members of several bridge groups through the years.

Dick loved and supported his family and friends, and he was kind-hearted in all that he did.

Survivors include: his wife, Carmen, of Blue Springs; his son, Doug Crews (Tricia) of Columbia; his daughter, Suzanne Crews (Jill Ekey) of Independence; seven grandchildren: Jennifer (Murry) Dunkeson and Kali Murry, both of Blue Springs; Michael Crews (Kristen) and Jessica Crews, all of Columbia; Michael Ekey (Sarah) of Lee’s Summit; Geoff Ekey and Jon Ekey, both of Independence; five great-grandchildren: Nicholas Dunkeson of Blue Springs; Addison, Landon and Cullen Crews, all of Columbia; and Ellie Ekey of Lee’s Summit; a brother, Gerald N. Crews (Doris) of Kansas City; and a sister, Judy (Crews) Seevers of Oak Grove; and many nieces, nephews and in-laws of the Crews and Morrison families.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Jayne (Crews) Murry in 1983; his parents; his brothers Raymond E. Crews, Jr., Donald G. Crews, and James K. Crews, and his sisters Mary Betty (Crews) Mueller and Barbara Jean (Crews) Anderson.