of Harrison, AR

August 8, 1930 - September 4, 2015

''Watch where you put your feet,'' was the parting wisdom, good for so much of life, from James W. ''J. W.'' Crow, gleaned from the final tale of his life. Also proudly known as Daddy, Grandpa, and Granny's Papa, his favorite past time was telling the true tales of antics, mishaps, and life lessons he had collected in 85 years from the Sulphur Mountain to California and many points in between with one of the greatest stories of his life coming in his final days. From his hospital bed he proudly recounted to a local newspaper reporter how he had killed the 4 foot long copperhead after it had bitten him twice. J. W. was born August 8, 1930, to Willie Arlis and Sarah Elizabeth ''Lizzie'' (Monday) Crow. A faithful Christian, he went home to Heaven Friday September 4, 2015, at Washington Regional Medical Center with is family by his side.

J. W. spent his early years running all over the foot of Sulphur Mountain with his best friends, his brothers, Eugene and Carl, and uncle, Walter Monday, finding lots of innocent boyhood mischief and earning a reputation as a scrapper. The values of hard work, integrity, and the importance of family were instilled in him early on and he worked hard to pass them on to his family, leading by example. He attended the Bellefonte and Valley Springs schools.

J. W. served as a rifleman in the U.S. Army for two years during the occupation of Japan. On a visit home on December 15, 1948, he convinced young Donna L. Dillwith to marry him by saying ''Marry me, or else!'' She agreed and later when asked what 'or else' meant he would only chuckle. They were married 67 years at the time of his death. The couple was blessed with three daughters and three sons-in-law, all of whom he thought ''hung the moon'', Karen Hardesty and Jerry, Sharon Murphy and Pat, and Janet Roberts and Randy.

Upon completing his service in the Army, J. W. traveled to Washington to work picking apples and then returned home to work alongside many other family members at Arkansas Products Saw Mill. Later, J. W. and Donna moved to California where he worked in the aircraft industry. His talent for math was quickly recognized earning him a job as a plaster pattern maker for Douglas Aircraft. During his tenure there he worked with top secret clearance on the Polaris Missile and was proudly elected union steward by his coworkers. In 1963, desiring to raise his girls away from 'the big city', he moved them back home to Arkansas working first for Turney Wood Products as a church furniture installer and then later for Acme Uniform Rentals where he worked as a route driver for 20 years until his retirement.

J. W. was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Eugene; and his brother-in-law, Harold Dillwith. He is survived by his wife, Donna, of the home; his three daughters and their husbands; his grandchildren whom he thought were nearly perfect, Sarah Childs (Brandon), Kevin Renfro, Justin Hardesty (Valerie), Kimberly Renfro (Scott), Zachary Hardesty (Nikki), Michael Murphy (Emily), Matthew Murphy, Tabitha (Roberts) Campbell, Tammy (Roberts) Middleton (Chris), and Justin Roberts. He is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren who were his pride and joy and whom he was convinced were absolutely perfect, Ike, Leo, and Zoe Childs, Claire and Sloane Hardesty, Hailey Misner and Hannah Hardesty, Taylee Greenhaw, Lily Murphy, Kennedi and Cooper Campbell, and Addison, Emma, and Annabelle Middleton. Also surviving him are his brother, Carl (Sybil), a very special brother-in-law whom he considered a brother, Donald Dillwith, and special sisters-in-law, Bernice Crow and Alice Gregory, as well as a host of dear nieces and nephews and many friends and neighbors.

A strong, loyal, tough and hardworking man, guided by his strong faith and deeply held principles, J. W. enjoyed being outside and always grew one of the 'prettiest' and most bountiful gardens in Boone County. He proudly passed along his gardening knowledge to his family helping them in their own gardens and could often be found on his swing in his backyard. He was always eager to pass along the wisdom he had learned from his own life in the form of a 'story' to the ones he loved. Those treasures will always be held dear including his most recent ''Watch where you put your feet.''


Visitation was Thursday, September 10, 2015, at Roller-Christeson Funeral Home.

Graveside services will be 10:00 AM, Friday, September 11, 2015, at White Church Cemetery with Kenneth Crow and Verlin Brown officiating.

Pallbearers are Kevin Renfro, Justin Hardesty, Justin Roberts, Zachary Hardesty, Michael Murphy, Matthew Murphy and Chris Middleton.

Honorary pallbearer is good friend Dr. Cathy Clary.

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