Marie G Crabill

MARIE G. CRABILL: A LIFE WELL LIVED

July 1, 1922 – July 17, 2021

      We honor the life of Marie Crabill, who lived a good long life of 99 years and 17 days. She was the oldest daughter of Edward Hagan and Mildred (Younger) Hagan. As a child, she was responsible for caring for her younger sister, Almira, and later, her much younger sister Gloria. The family lived in Hampden then. Prior to WWII, Marie was working at Mt. Vernon Cotton Mill where she met her future husband. She was unable to have biological children of her own, but shared her love by adopting a one year old boy, Bob, and some years later, a 4 year old girl, Anita. She spent her lifetime loving and caring for them. Marie enjoyed providing a home and caring for her family. They lived on various tenant farms in Baltimore County where she would make a comfortable home for them, sometimes under trying conditions. She liked to cook, bake, can or freeze food they grew in the garden, and sew for them. She led a simple life and enjoyed nature that surrounded their home.

   Nearing the age of 50, Marie found herself having to provide a home on her own, for herself and her young daughter. She lived in various parts of Anne Arundel County. She supported them by working in several retail stores and spent the last years of her working days working at various fast food places. She was a senior citizen when she retired, and by no means fast anymore. She learned how to drive when she was 50, and enjoyed the independence it gave her. She loved being able to provide transportation for her friends, and taking them for rides to the country areas where she used to live. She was baptized February 24, 1974 and spent 47 years living life as close to the tenants of her faith as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Marie experienced great comfort from her faith throughout her life.

   As an older adult, she liked going to the Senior Centers, and learning new things. She enjoyed painting, knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and doing senior exercises. She took various bus trips with them and enjoyed seeing and experiencing new places. During this time, she lived several years at the Inner Harbor, prior to moving to Bel Air in Harford County, where she lived independently until over 93 years of age.

   As she began to experience more signs of dementia, she moved in with her son Bob, and daughter-in-law, Linda, and became an integral part of their lives. She lived with them several years in Harford County, and moved with them to the mountains of Garrett County, back to the nature she enjoyed when she was younger. She would enjoy sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee watching the birds, deer, and other wildlife outside the window. When it wasn’t too cold or too windy, she would sit on the porch and “get some air”. Occasionally, she would see a bear and couldn’t get into the house fast enough.

   In later years of her life, Marie dealt with living with dementia, and finally lost her battle with it. Dementia is terrible for the person experiencing it, and for those who love them watch the person they know slowly disappear. Dementia is aptly called “the long goodbye”. The good news is, although dementia robbed Marie of her memories, it has not robbed those who loved her of their memories they hold dear in their hearts of a woman who lived a simple life and shared her love with many.

    Thanks to that love, she is survived by her loving daughter, Anita Burkett, her devoted son Robert Crabill and his wife Linda, 5 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, and three more due shortly. She was the sister of Gloria Witkowski and husband Frank of Warsaw Poland, and the late Almira Crabill. She was also blessed with many nieces and nephews, and friends.

      Friends may visit at the Gonce Funeral Service P.A., 4001 Ritchie Highway in Baltimore,  on Monday July 26, from 10am to 12pm. Service will be held at 12 noon followed by interment in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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