"Carol & Family, So sorry for your loss. John put up a good fight. Lynn Schreiber Bondarenka"
In loving memory of
John F. Crews
June 29, 1938 - December 1, 2020
John F. Crews of Port Ewen died at Health Alliance Hospital on December 1 after a six and a half year battle with Glioblastoma. John was born on June 29, 1938 at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, NJ to the late Bessie Jennings Crews and John Crews.
John F. was educated in the NYC School System including McKee Vocational and Technical High School on Staten Island. He was the class Valedictorian when he graduated from Mc Kee. He was a member of the first graduating Class at Staten Island Community College and immediately following his graduation enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he had pre-qualified for PILOT Training. He was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola Florida, the home of the Naval Aviation Training command to begin pre-flight training.
Upon his successful completion of the preflight program he was designated a First Lieutenant and proceeded to the advanced Flying phases of Pilot training. During his active duty service tenure he piloted several models and types of fixed wing conventional powered and jet powered naval aircraft. He also qualified as an Aircraft Carrier Pilot executing the required number of "Touch-and-Go" and tail-hook arrested landings aboard the air craft Carrier USS Antietam (CVS36) during training missions in the Gulf of Mexico to qualify as a Member of the Tail Hook Association.
Upon completion of his active duty commitment he was discharged from the Marine CORPS and returned to Staten Island where he enrolled at Wagner College in a 4 year degree Program. He completed his studies at Wagner College earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major In Sociology and a minor in economics. Upon graduation he was recruited by IBM and the company relocated him to Kingston NY where John began a 28 year career with IBM; starting as a Production Control Analyzer. He advanced rapidly through the ranks, including Department Manager, Project Manager and a major management reorganization moved him from the Kingston Site to Poughkeepsie where he completed his Career having held such senior management and executive management assignments including Production Control Manager, Materials Manager, Quality Excellence Manager and Procurement Manager. During his tenure as the Production Control Manager at IBM Poughkeepsie he attended an intensive course of study at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Throughout his IBM career John was active in the local community serving as a board member of the Children's Rehabilitation Center in Kingston, a Board Member and President of the Kingston Boys Club, member Kingston Kiwanis, campaign volunteer for the United Way of Dutchess County and United Way of Ulster County, and a member of the Ulster Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Ethics Committees of Benedictine Hospital and Health Alliance of the Hudson Valley. John was most active in his church, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in downtown Kingston where he was a leader for more than 50 years including 4 years as President of the Church Council.
Some months after his retirement from IBM, he took a position as a Field Representative with the Northeast Manufacturing Technology Center NEMTEC located at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. This was followed by the position of Managing Director of a state-wide program sponsored by the NYS Science and Technology Foundation and John's final career move brought him back to the Hudson Valley where he was appointed Executive Director of The Hudson Valley Regional Council and Team Hudson Valley. After his final retirement John and Carol split their time between their homes in Port Ewen, NY and in West Palm Beach, Florida.
John is survived by his wife of 58 years Carol Gaise Crews, two sons John David of Lake Katrine and Christopher (Susan) of Port Ewen, Grandson Carson Christopher and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Jean and John Swedberg of Staten Island. Carol and John are God parents to Keoka Dorsainville of Kingston.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 104 Wurts Street, Kingston, NY and the Benedictine Health Foundation, 144 Pine Street, Ste. 220, Kingston, NY.
A Virtual memorial service will be held a t a later date. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc., 326 Albany Ave, Kingston, NY. To leave an expression of sympathy for the family, please visit www.KeyserFuneralService.com.
Tributes
"Dear Carol, Chris & family, our deepest sympathy to you all. Love, Bob & Marcene Johnson"
"Dear Carol and Family, I am so sorry for our loss. John was a wonderful man. His memory is a blessing. Love, Barbara Cohen "
"Dear Carol, So sorry you have lost John. Hopefully you are both at peace after this very long battle. Rae and Pat Bottino"
"As both a cancer survivor and primary caretaker of a deceased loved one , I have deep empathy for the Crews family. God bless you, and may John rest in peace."
"Dear Carol, I send my sincere condolences to you and your family at this time. John was a fine man and will be missed. I pray for your peace and comfort. Dorothy Winrow"
"Dear Carol, we were so sorry to hear about John's Passing. What a gentleman! John was Mort's boss and we were so delighted to see him on our last trip from Maine, down to Kingston a few years ago, I believe at John DeJoy's retirement party. He was the consumate professional and personnally, one of the best managers at IBM. John always had the loyality of his staff and it was an honor to work with him. Our sincerest Condolences, Dorothy and Morton Alling"
"Sending my sincerest condolences. Maureen Bowers"
"Carol. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. It was a pleasure and honor to work alongside of John in several charitable organizations. He always wanted to strengthen Kingston and Ulster communities. "
"Sorry for your loss. Babette F. Gade"
"So sorry to hear of John?s passing. We were coworkers at IBM and John was one of the best! Always soft-spoken, but always heard and heeded."
"John was a man who did everything with class. His leadership in the early days of the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership got things going. He and Carol brought us flowers to welcome Constance and me to the neighborhood. He taught me an important lesson: "It's not what you did or didn't do that gets you in trouble. It's usually something you said!" Doug Koop"
"So sorry for your loss Carol and family."
"A good man and a good neighbor. Condolences to the Crews family on their loss"
"We are so saddened to hear of John's passing. He was such a good and caring man and would give anything to help others. Can't ever remember seeing him without that gentle smile on his face. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Carol, John Jr., Chris, and family. He will be surely missed."
"So sorry for your loss. I remember John and Carol lived next door to us on Irving Place for a time when I was a kid and he helped with the youth group back in the day . Celebrate the life while you mourn the loss."
"John was such a caring man , very active at Redeemer and welcoming to all. May God bless his family during this time of grief and remembrance. "
"John was a quiet soft spoken special man. Always greeting me with overwhelming love and a kind word. May he rest in peace."
"Dear Carol, John, Chris and family, Our thoughts, prayers and llove are with you at this time. May you find comfort in knowing others do share in your loss. Remember that life has only changed not ended, Our God who loved and sustained John in this life now holds him in his arms forever, God bless you in the days ahead. With our love, Nancy and Ron"