Eleanor Rose Crabtrey, age 89

Eleanor Rose Crabtrey, age 89, passed away on the morning of January 27, 2023. She was sleeping peacefully in her bed at her home, beside the Arkansas River in Houston, Perry County, Arkansas. All was exactly as she wanted. She was the loving wife of Alfred Ray Crabtrey, who, devastated, could only state, “I had the pleasure of being her husband for 43 years. She was the love of my life.”

Eleanor was born on October 13, 1933, to Virginia “Grace” and Ralph Wickline in Racine, Ohio where she spent her youth. She had two sisters, older Virginia “Ruth” and younger Audrey Anna who passed at the age of 3.

Working as a Medical Transcriptionist, she ultimately found Arkansas as her home. It was here that she met her soulmate. Eleanor and Alfred were married on December 29, 1979, at his home in Lonoke, Arkansas where they would continue to live together as husband and wife for some time. Both had children from previous marriages but through their actions and example, melded the children together as one family. Blood doesn’t make family. Love makes family.

As with most families, Eleanor and Alfred would sometimes struggle to make ends meet, but through the ups and downs, the children would never do without or even know the difference. Providing for and raising their family was their priority, they were a team, they made it happen. Yet, through all the chaos, they would still take care of themselves with a regular “date night”. Sometimes in a marriage and raising a family, we forget to do that last part.

In Alfred’s eyes, Eleanor was the sun, moon, and stars. But she was…

She might come home from work, trade her high heels for boots and a shotgun, harvest a deer, drag it up on the porch for her Honey Darlin’ to dress when he got home, while she cooked supper for the family. She could be the foreman on the job site, out-fish most people, cook up the best meal you’ve ever eaten for a group the size of a small army, pass the state written test for a commercial construction license with just some “light reading”, or put on her high heels and a dress and spell “Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis” three times before lunch. With Eleanor, there were no limits.

Even in later years, she and Alfred would go on vacation, always driving across the country, searching for new adventures together. On one trip, after two weeks on the road, he asked if she was ready to go home to which she replied, “Let’s do 5 more states!” So off they went…

So, describe Eleanor? She was a light, a force, a loving wife who found her soulmate, and a devoted mother. She was an adventurer with strength, courage and a wit that had no bounds. To her husband and children, the in-laws and outlaws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Eleanor was love.

Her love continues, even in death, within the hearts of those that she touched.

Eleanor is survived by and will be missed by her loving husband, Alfred Crabtrey, along with their combined 7 children, Sharon Kennick, Linda Ballew, Diana “Dee” Vintila, Donna (Ricky) Frazier, Patricia “Trish” (Mike) Smith, John (Charlene) Haste and Allen (Donna) Crabtrey, 26 grandchildren and more than 30 great-grandchildren. She also is survived by and will be missed by a sister, Virginia “Ruth” (Paul) Lehman and many nieces and nephews.

Eleanor was predeceased by her parents, Virginia “Grace” and Ralph Wickline, a sister Audrey and daughter, Teresa (Ray) Wockenfuss.

Eleanor will be cremated by A Natural State Funeral Service & Crematory and her ashes will be placed in an urn and in the possession of her husband.

There will be no service but a family gathering for a “holiday style,” pot-luck meal, and celebration of Eleanor’s life, in her home on February 4, 2023, at 1pm. Family and friends are encouraged to arrive early.

Arrangements by A Natural State Funeral Service 2620 West Main Street, Jacksonville, Arkansas 72076. 501-982-3400. Online guestbook available at www.anaturalstatefuneralservice.com