James Thomas Crowder

Tommy was born on June 23, 1915 to David C. Crowder and Lucille Thomas in West Point, AR. At age 19, after graduating from high school, Tommy borrowed $10 from a man at a gas station and went to California. His first job there was picking tomatoes and bartending. In 1935 Tommy learned the trade of carpentry. In September 1940 he married Ruby E. Craig in Carson City, NV. During WWII he worked in the Naval Shipyard in Alameda, CA. In 1949 they moved to Texas to build homes with his brother-in-law, Hank Chism. In 1953 he moved his family to Boulder where he worked for Chism Homes and then went on to start Columbine Homes. He retired from construction in 1975 and owned and operated Crowder Saw & Tool for more than ten years. Tommy was an avid gardener with his wife and he loved to hunt and fish.

Survivors include his children Jim Crowder, Jr. (Linda) of Longmont, CO and David A. Crowder of Lafayette, CO; grandchildren: Debbie Sedelmeier (Dan), Kathy Tenenbaum (Bruce), Jay Harris (Dana), Casey Crowder, Crocket Crowder (Alyssa), Tommy Crowder and Shad Crowder; thirteen great-grand children, two great-great-grandchildren and niece Sharon Chism Milano of Las Vegas, NV. Tommy was preceded in death by wife Ruby, brother David, sister Marjorie and son Delos Slavens.

Visitation will be held at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at Crist Mortuary, 3395 Penrose Pl., Boulder, CO 80301. Funeral services will follow at 1:00. Interment will be at Mountain View Memorial Park in Boulder, CO. To send condolences please go to www.cristmortuary.com.