Frances Donaldson Crowson

Canton - Frances Elizabeth Donaldson Crowson was born on Christmas Day 1930 and passed away Saturday, May 21, 2022, at the age of 91.

Fran was the sixth child of Jacob and Lydia Donaldson. She was raised in a traditional, loving family with three brothers and three sisters (two other siblings, one brother, and one sister perished as infants). She grew up as a “tomboy”, preferring the rough and tumble activities of her brothers as opposed to the normal life of little girls of the period. Her brothers taught her how to ride a bike, roller skate, water ski, and drive. She especially loved to spend time with her beloved father, Jake, who would place her in the family car and drive all over the surrounding mountains. From these treasured experiences she developed a lifelong love of the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Fran graduated from Bethel High School as an Honor Student. She began her working career at sixteen, working at Roses Dime Store in Canton, NC. She used this income to pay for her typing and shorthand classes at school. After graduating, Fran attended Asheville Biltmore Business School where she continued to hone her secretarial skills. At the peak of her professional career, Fran was able to type at an incredible 150 words per minute, error-free, on an IBM Selectric typewriter. This prodigious speed was faster than many of the early robotic typewriters used to print large batches of letters.

Some of Fran’s other early jobs were at The Dayton Rubber Company (DAYCO) in Waynesville, WLOS-TV in Asheville, and the H.L. Hunt Company in Dallas, TX.

Through a friend who was active in politics, Fran was asked if she would like to work for Congress. She was interviewed by Congressman Roy Taylor who represented Asheville and the surrounding areas. Mr. Taylor hired Fran to work in his Asheville District Office, where she served for about one year. Mr. Taylor was so impressed with the skills that Fran brought to his office that he asked her to join his staff in the Washington, D.C. Congressional Office. It was this introduction to politics that fostered a lifelong interest in the political world of this nation at every level.

Fran worked for Mr. Taylor until his retirement and continued to work in Washington and Virginia for two other Congressmen from the State of Virginia.

After spending twenty-three years in the Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia areas, Fran decided that it was time to return home to her beloved N.C. Mountains. Upon her return, she continued her professional career by working at The University of North Carolina – Asheville Campus, Mossbauer Research Center. She also worked recording Social Security hearings in Asheville and also was employed at The Biltmore Forest Country Club. At some point, Fran tired of the office environment and wanted to retire to her home in Canton. But she wasn’t done living life just yet!

At some point, Fran acquired a job with Hertz Corporation, the huge rental car purveyor. She joined a group of senior citizens whose job was to shuttle rental cars between the Asheville and Greenville, S.C. airports. This was a job that she absolutely enjoyed as she could drive through the beautiful mountains with an entertaining group of people. Hertz soon realized that Fran loved to drive, and began asking her to undertake long-distance trips. Fran drove all over the East Coast shuttling rental cars to their needed locations at major airports. She loved this work and continued until an unfortunate injury to her left knee exiting a SUV in bad weather.

Fran continued to be involved in politics at the local level in Canton during her retirement years. And she also continued her dedication to helping others in any way that she could. The American Red Cross recognized Fran for her incredible efforts at saving lives after she donated her 100^th pint of blood. How many lives were saved by her Gift of Life!

While Fran enjoyed working at her various jobs, she never neglected her family. She was always available to help her sons, grandsons, and granddaughters in any way that she could. She tried to foster the same values in her family that her father and mother fostered in her.

 She always told her family that all she wanted out of life was to be a Mother.

Almighty GOD granted her that exalted title…MOTHER!

Fran is survived by three sons, Michael D. Noland, G. Douglas Crowson III, and David M. Crowson; one grandson, Dustin Roberts; two granddaughters, Savannah Crowson, and Alyssa Roberts; and her brother, James Donaldson of Knoxville, TN.

A gathering of family and friends and a reception will be held from 2:00 until 3:00 pm Sunday, May 29, 2022 in the chapel of Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Ms. Crowson's memory to The Alzheimer's Association WNC Chapter at 31 College Place Ste Doppler 103, Asheville, NC 28801; Paralyzed Veterans of America at 801 18th Street NW Washington, DC 20006-3517; the Canton, NC Police Dept. at 58 Park St, Canton, NC 28716; or to the Haywood County Sheriff’s Dept. at 1620 Brown Ave, Waynesville, NC 28786.

Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service is honored to be caring for the Crowson family.