Margarete A. (Barner) Crowe

Margarete A. Crowe, 91, of Geneseo, passed away Wednesday, February 03, 2016, at Unity Point – Trinity, Rock Island.   A Funeral Service celebrating her life will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, February 8th, at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory, Geneseo.  Reverend Melva England will officiate.  A Women of the Moose service will be held at 11 a.m. prior to the service.  Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Geneseo.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service (10-11 a.m.) at the funeral home.  Memorials may be made to the Margarete Crowe Memorial Fund, to be distributed among several charities.

Margarete was born on February 6, 1924, in Wernau, Germany, the daughter of Robert and Mathilde (Saeman) Barner.  She was united in marriage to Sheldon Cox in 1956. He passed away two months after their marriage.  She later married Norval Willard Crowe on April 1, 1961, in Geneseo.  He preceded her in death in 2009.  Margarete worked as a receptionist at the Geneseo Telephone Company for ten years.  She also assisted her husband Norval with his business, Crowe Ford, in Geneseo and with his duties at the Geneseo Moose Lodge.

Margarete was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. She also was a Women of the Moose member for 45 years where she was active in numerous capacities, the Order of the Eastern Star for 50 years, and a life member of the Hammond-Henry Auxiliary.  She enjoyed going on picnics, fishing, and camping.  She also enjoyed traveling and wintering in Texas with Norval.

She is survived by her daughter, Waltraud Mackey of Luzern, Switzerland; step-sons, Gary (Theresa) Crowe, Geneseo, IL, and Craig Cox, AZ; three step-grandchildren, Kelly Crowe, Karyn Robertson, and Christine (Thom) Cunningham; several step-great-grandchildren; and brother, Adolf Barner, Germany.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters, and five brothers.

 Service Information