James Clarence Crew

Dr. James Clarence Crew (Jim) of Cary, North Carolina, died at the age of 85 on September 4, 2023, with his family present. At the time of his death Jim was living at Glenaire, in Cary, North Carolina. He was born in Duke Hospital in Durham, North Carolina on December 10, 1937, to Robert Earl Crew and Helen Louise Dority Crew. He was the second of four children.

He was predeceased by both parents, his sister, Helen, and his brother, John.

He is survived by his children James Clarence Crew, Jr. (Glenda) and John Christopher Crew (Dee ), of Raleigh, his granddaughter Dr. Caitlin Warren (Ben), and great-grandson Emmett, of Archdale, N.C.; grandson McCale Penven-Crew (Jessica), and great-grandchildren Caroline and Oliver, of Cary, N.C.; granddaughters Carter Crew, of Washington, D.C., and Brynna Crew, of Raleigh, N.C., and his brother Dr. Robert E. Crew, Jr. (Nancy.)

Jim moved with his family to Portsmouth, Virginia in 1939 where his father was employed in the railroad industry during the early war years. In 1942 the family moved to Raleigh, N.C. He attended Murphy Elementary School and Hugh Morrison High School. Jim played little league baseball and football. He was active in the Boy Scouts and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

In 1952 the family moved to Morganton, N.C., where Jim attended Morganton High School. That year he met a pretty freshman named Dixie Lewis. Jim earned three letters in football and three in track in addition to numerous medals in regional track and field events. His senior year he was chosen a captain of the football team and was selected to the Asheville Citizen All Western North Carolina football team, and to the Greensboro Daily News All State football team.

Jim declined several football scholarships and accepted an offer by coach Jim Tatum to "walk on" at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C. He made the team and played in the first three games amassing an impressive rushing record of over 100 yards per game. A knee injury ended his football career before the end of the freshman season.

In 1957 Jim entered Western Carolina College (now university) where he thrived academically. He transferred to North Carolina State College (now university) in Raleigh, N.C. to attend the engineering school. In 1960 he married Dixie Lewis, his high school sweetheart, who was teaching in Morganton at the time of their marriage.

Jim graduated from N.C. State in 1961, with a degree in Furniture Manufacturing and Management from the Department of Industrial Engineering and accepted a job in the Engineering Department at Drexel Furniture Company in Morganton. After several years of employment he returned with Dixie and two small sons to NC State where he completed a Master of Economics with a minor in Political Science in 1968.

Jim began a lifelong career in higher education working for six years at area junior colleges including Peace College and Louisburg College, while studying for his doctoral degree at N.C. State University. Jim was deeply effected by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Liberation Movement, and the social effects of scientific and technological change. Jim was drawn to academia where these issues were discussed and debated in depth. He was influenced by wide ranging conversations with Dr. Howard Miller, chairman of the Department of Psychology, an outspoken progressive advocate of various social changes. He was accepted into the Ph.D. program in Psychology at N.C. State University While working on his dissertation he accepted a one year appointment in the Department of Psychology at N.C. State University, to teach and administer the introductory psychology course. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Psychology with a minor in Economics in 1977. His dissertation was entitled, The Perceived Quality of Life and Its Demographic Correlates: An Inquiry Into The Nature of Human Well-Being in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jim successfully completed the state board examination and was licensed as a Psychologist by the state of North Carolina.

Jim completed a one year visiting appointment in the School of Business at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. His next appointment was in the School of Business at North Carolina Central University, in Durham, North Carolina where he taught and conducted research for the next ten years. He took a one year leave of absence in 1985 to teach in the School of Business at Elon College (now university) in Burlington, North Carolina, where he taught in the undergraduate program and in the M.B.A. program.

In 1989 Jim accepted a position in the Department of Business and Economics at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. Jim was twice elected outstanding teacher by the students in the School of Business. He also received the Pauline Davis Perry Award for his research and publication efforts. He was promoted to full professor and granted tenure while at Meredith. He was also granted Emeriti status at his retirement in 2000.

Jim, a life long member of the Democrat Party, was chairman of his precinct, and served a two year term on the executive committee of the county party. In 2000 he was a candidate for a Senate seat in the North Carolina Legislature. He was honored to receive the endorsement of the League of Women Voters, Emily's List, and The News and Observer, among others organizations. He won the nomination of his party in the primary, but lost a close race to the incumbent in the general election.

After retirement Jim and Dixie traveled through out the United States visiting many State and National Parks, art galleries and museums. They also took several trips to Europe and took each of the four grandchildren to a foreign country.

In 2013 Jim returned to teaching as an adjunct professor at William Peace University in Raleigh, N.C. for two and a half years. Jim was grateful for the warm reception and the many positive student evaluations he received.

Jim was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina where he served as an Elder. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and served on the missions, archives and memorials committees. He sang in the church choir, went on mission trips, and served as executive director of The Shepard's Center, providing services to seniors. As a scholar Jim naturally enjoyed Bible study, and took many Bible study classes and occasionally taught Sunday School classes. Church and family were the things Jim was most thankful for and he felt blessed by them. "When Dixie Lewis came into my life it was truly a gift of God," he said.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to The Eden School, c/o First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh.

Interment will be at the family plot in Oakwood Cemetery, in Raleigh, N.C. on Friday September 8 at 9:30am. A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at The First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh on Friday, September 8 at 11:00am.