BETTY ROSE CROWTHER

Betty Rose Crowther, 83, died Sept. 10, 2008 at Heidi’s Assisted Living Home in Wasilla of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16 at United Protestant Church in Palmer. The Rev. Tim Carrick will officiate.

Crowther was born in Giltner, Neb. She attended four years of college and received her degree in teaching.

She moved to Palmer in September 1950.

One of her greatest joys in life was making things beautiful. Crowther was the “honorary” gardener at the Palmer United Protestant Church, lovingly keeping up the flowers and the shrubs. Even when her eyesight began to fail, she helped her beloved husband as much as she could. She was the children’s storyteller at the Palmer Public Library for 17 years, and also planted flowers at the library’s entrance. Crowther was well-known for the beautiful begonias that graced her front yard.

Her husband stated, “She was the best, and I was fortunate to have had her in my life.”

She is survived by her husband George S. Crowther of Palmer; daughter Susan (Ceddie) Gage of Ft. Worth, Texas; sons Paul and Scott Crowther of Anchorage; stepdaughter Pamela Woodworth of Sacramento, Cal.; sisters Shirley Bennet of Lincoln, Neb., and Barbara Kreutz of Harvard, Neb.; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations can be made to Hospice, 950 E. Bogard Rd., Wasilla, AK 99654 or Palmer Public Library, 655 S. Valley Way, Palmer, AK 99645.