Doris Melrose Croasmun

Doris Melrose Fowler Croasmun, 90, passed away on Saturday, June 8, 2019.  She was born September 24, 1928 in West Virginia to Samuel Neptune and Alletta Fowler. Doris graduated from Bridgeport (WV) High School.  She met her husband, Howard O. Croasmun, while she was working at a radio station in Clarksburg and he worked for Railway Express.  Following a short courtship, they were married June 17, 1949.  After moving several times while Howard was serving in the military during the Korean conflict and while he attended college at West Virginia Wesleyan in Buckhannon WV, they settled in Morgantown WV in 1954 where Doris worked as a bookkeeper and as a wife to Howard and mother to their older three children.  She attended West Virginia University for a short time, taking classes in Education.  After having two more children, she eventually began work for the Monongalia County School System as a Title I secretary, retiring in 1991.   Doris was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Morgantown and held many offices including Worthy Matron, as well as serving as Mother Advisor to the Rainbow Girls.  She was active in her children’s schools and served as a cub and brownie scout leader and 4-H leader.

       Doris had many things she enjoyed doing including cooking and baking, sewing, gardening, knitting, crocheting prayer shawls for distribution with her sewing group at Northwood Presbyterian Church and, in later years, she loved to play Go Fish card game.  Working on jigsaw puzzles, especially with her daughters and grandchildren was a fun activity for her.  She also enjoyed traveling.  She and her husband took their youngest girls on a cross county road trip seeing things like Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone Park and the Grand Canyon.  Later she ventured out on her own, taking a cruise to Alaska with a friend, and enjoyed it very much. 

      After retirement, Doris and Howard moved to Jacksonville NC in 1991 before settling in Dunedin FL in 1992.  She was a former member of the First United Methodist Church of Dunedin where she also served on the staff as Publications Secretary. She was a member of the United Methodist Women, holding leadership roles at both the local church and district levels. Later she became an active member of Northwood Presbyterian Church in Clearwater, the Presbyterian Women organization and the Serendipity Sunday School Class. 

       Doris was a member the Suncoast Newcomers Club in Dunedin as well as the Greenbriar Homeowners’ Association and Pinehurst Village Homeowners’ Association, holding offices in each. 

       She will be missed by her family and friends who will remember her beautiful smile and sparkling eyes.  Over the last few years, while she was confined to her wheelchair, she still had a smile and gentle, loving words for others. 
Doris loved being in service to others and spending time laughing and talking with all her friends and family.  While at the Assisted Living Facility in Pensacola, she enjoyed helping to assemble the daily menus and the newsletters.

       Her family would like to thank the staff at Manor Care of Dunedin for their loving care, including Nicole, William and Laura.  Your loving care for Mom was always apparent, especially in her eyes and smile.  Also, we would like to thank Suncoast Hospice for the tender care they provided for Mom and the family.   
       Doris was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Howard Croasmun. her son-in-law, Peter Kehagias and her grandson, Sean Gurr.  She is survived by her sister, June Douglas, Bridgeport WV; and her children: Cindy Huffman (Tom), Dunedin; Linda Kehagias, Pensacola FL; Earl Croasmun (Anita), Cary NC; Janice Croasmun, Chapel Hill NC; Debra Lovelace (Chad), Pensacola  FL as well as  9 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.

       A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at Northwood Presbyterian Church in Clearwater later when the family can all be together.  In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in memory of Doris Croasmun to Northwood Presbyterian Church, 2875 State Road 580, Clearwater FL  33761 or to Suncoast Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater FL 33760, marked as Tribute Gift – Doris Croasmun. 

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