Joe D. Crowson, 79, passed away on Friday, December 18, 2020, at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. Visitation will be Sunday, December 20 from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Nowell-Massey Funeral Home in Louisville and on Monday from 10 a.m. until service time. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday, December 21 in the Nowell-Massey Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Jimmy Dempsey and Bro. Charles Rook officiating. Interment will immediately follow the service in Memorial Cemetery in Louisville. The family urges everyone to please observe all safety precautions concerning COVID-19.
Joe was born June 26, 1941, to Earl and Ora Moss Crowson in Winston County, Mississippi. He was a 1959 graduate of Louisville High School. The members of this class have remained in close contact with each other and enjoyed a yearly reunion which Joe always organized. He was a member of West End Baptist Church and he spent the first part of each day reading his Bible. He had great faith in God which he gladly shared with his family and others. Joe was a very dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather, and most of all great-grandfather, but he was always ready to help others. Over the years, he helped so many people in many different ways. He was a trail blazer…he was the first full-time fireman for the City of Louisville to work a shift. Joe was named Fireman of the Year two different times and also served his community as the Civil Defense Director. He was probably best known as a brick mason giving many young people their first job and training them to work. Joe also delivered newspapers, sold tomatoes, but was really known for his boiled peanuts which earned him the nickname of “Peanut Man.”
Joe is survived by his loving wife of 62 years Dot Lowrey Crowson of Louisville. He is also survived by his children: Chris Crowson and wife Penny also of Louisville, Amelia “Baby Doll” Crappel and husband Timothy of Berwick, Louisiana, and Frankie Joe Crowson of Louisville. One of his greatest joys was being “PawPaw Joe” to his six grandchildren: Sarah (Michael) Deal, Paul Crowson, Brandon (Summer) Crepelle, Jewel (Joseph) Vinson, Josh (Mary Margaret) Crowson, and Richard Crowson. The real “apples of his eyes” were his 11 great-grandchildren: John Thomas, Daniel, Baileigh, Logan, Owen, Caroline, Evelyn, McAllister, Amelia, Cara, and Cayden. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Billy Pearson, whom he considered his brother; as well as a host of loving nieces and nephews. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, brother Bob Crowson, sisters Ardena Johnston and Melva Pearson, granddaughter Rachel Crowson, and great-grandson Collin Deal.
Serving as pallbearers are Brandon Crepelle, Josh Crowson, Paul Crowson, Richard Crowson, Joseph Vinson, John Thomas Deal, and Michael Deal. Memorials in honor of Joe may be given to The Baptist Children's Village, P. O. Box 27, Clinton, MS 39060-0027.
Services are under the direction of Nowell-Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowellmasseyfuneralhome.com.
