Crews, Norma Earlene

CREWS (CONLEY),

Dr. Norma Earlene

Dr. Norma Earlene Conley Crews, of Tucker, Georgia, passed away on Christmas Day, 2022 at the age of 98. A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be scheduled in the coming weeks.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. L. William Crews; and her parents, Nolan and Mary Conley. She is survived by her children, Dr. William Crews (Pamela) of Atlanta, GA, Mary Crews Worthen (Lynn) of Conway, AR, and Daniel Crews of Phoenix, AZ. She has twelve grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren.

Norma was born on June 27, 1924 in Rossville, OK. She graduated as high school Valedictorian at fifteen and finished college in three years at nineteen. Soon after graduation, she eloped with her childhood sweetheart, Bill, marrying on September 4, 1943, Oklahoma City.

In the early years of their marriage, she taught K – 12, while her husband pastored churches in rural Oklahoma and Texas. During that time her children, Billy and Mary were born. In 1950, they began a five-year stint as missionaries on the Navaho and Pima reservations in Arizona. In 1951, they adopted Danny, a Native-American youngster. From 1955 – 1963, Norma and her family lived in Oklahoma and Kansas where she continued her teaching career and completed a Masters in Counseling at the University of Oklahoma.

Their next stop was Atlanta, GA which became her permanent residence for the next 53 years where she taught high school and college. In 1973, she completed a Doctorate at the University of Oklahoma. Norma's professional career included that of a high school teacher and counselor, Dean of Women (Mercer University, Atlanta), Professor of Psychology, Counselor, Director of Developmental Studies, Department Head of Psychology (DeKalb College). Additionally, she started a private counseling practice. Norma traveled extensively world-wide leading student groups on travel abroad programs. After retiring from DeKalb College in 1985, she developed and became head of a new department designed to assist students with learning disabilities at Reinhardt College.

Norma was a remarkable in every sense of the word. The impact she had on her children, grandchildren, great-children, nieces and nephews and countless students, counselees, friends, and others is without precedent.

In 2014 she wrote her memoirs entitled Born to Teach, From Inkwells to Laptops which illustrates her life as an educator. What a legacy!

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the charity of your choice in her name.