Alice Faye Fourt Crawford, 90, daughter of R.W. and Goldie Todd Fourt, was born July 28, 1916, at the Fourt century farm, west of Houston. She died March 22, 2007, at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston.
She married Harry Elam Crawford May 12, 1946. They spent 58 happy years together. He died in 2004.
Mrs. Crawford attended Houston Grade School walking 2.5 miles to do so. She was a 1934 Houston High School graduate. She prepared herself to become a teacher. She attended Springfield Teachers College and graduated with honors with an associate and bachelor’s degree in education. She took her graduate work at Drury College and University of Missouri at Columbia. In the fall of 1935, she began her teaching career at Rocky Branch School. After five years there, she taught one year at Green Hill and five years at Raymondville, eight years at Cabool and 23 years in the Houston Junior High, a total of 42 years in the teaching profession. She devoted herself trying to make a difference in the lives of boys and girls. She loved to teach and left a part of herself in the lives of many. Whatever the activity at school she and Elam were always there. She had a keen sense of humor, a sense of compassion and positive outlook on life.She retired from teaching in 1977, enjoying life on Little Piney River at Lundy. She was inducted into the Educators Hall of Fame by the Houston Citizens for Education. She was also honored by the Gamma Phi chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma for her many contributions to education.
She kept busy in retirement. She was a member of Houston First Baptist Church where she was very active in Women’s Missionary Union, teaching missions to both young and old. She was an active charter member of HHS Alumni Association, Texas County Retired Teachers, Missouri State Teachers Association, Eastern Star more than 60 years and a member of Texas County Genealogical and Historical Society. She was the first woman to serve on the Houston School Board and was elected by a write-in vote. In all of these organizations she worked diligently, serving as an officer, working on committees and promoting the cause of each organization. Frequently, she was called upon to lead programs and speak at different functions.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elam; parents and brother, Bill.
She is survived by four sisters, Mamie Swan of El Cerrito, Calif., Velma Fourt, Mildred Melton and Juanita Hart of Houston.
Services were March 26 at the First Baptist Church in Houston with Dr. Howell Burkhead and the Rev. Kendall Ford officiating. Burial was in the Union Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Union Cemetery and First Baptist Church memorial fund.
