Sam Crowther was born on January 21, 1934 in San Angelo, Texas and passed away, peacefully surrounded by family, on June 27, 2022 at age 88 in Austin, Texas. His father was Robert Samuel Crowther, a World War I veteran, piano tuner, and machinist. His mother was Reva Terry Crowther, who attended and graduated from the University of Texas (UT) in Austin in 1920, and subsequently was a piano teacher in San Angelo for over 50 years. Sam is predeceased by his father, mother, stepfather Dr. Paul L. Whiffen, and brother Robert Terry Crowther. Sam is survived by his wife Jacqueline (Jackie) Ewald Crowther, son David Coleman Crowther and wife Melody Phillips Crowther, daughter Mary Martha (Mollie) Clakley and husband Bobby Dale Clakley, nephew Robert Reese Crowther, niece Terri Crowther Hill, granddaughter Emilee Noelle Crowther, and granddaughter Aimee Crowther Chilton, husband Fred Chilton, and great-grandson Maverick David Chilton.
Sam lived a fun, adventurous, and somewhat mischievous childhood in San Angelo, which is chronicled in Sam’s book “321 South Monroe”, published in 2010. Sam attended schools in San Angelo, graduating from San Angelo High School in May 1952. He had many childhood friends, some of which he kept in touch with for most of his life or their lives. Sam next attended and graduated in January 1957 from UT in Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree. During his third year at UT, he met Jackie Ewald on a blind date, fell madly in love with her, and ended up marrying her a few months later in Midland, Texas on August 28, 1955. Sam and Jackie were about to celebrate their 67th wedding anniversary on August 28, 2022.
Sam then worked 15 years for the Ethyl Corporation along the Houston Ship Channel in Pasadena, Texas. Sam & Jackie’s son David was born during August 1958. Their daughter Mollie was born during February 1961. While he was not at work, Sam kept very busy by being a Sunday school teacher, boy scout leader, boy’s baseball coach, girl’s softball coach, attending David’s and Mollie’s sports events, and being the neighborhood Dad who entertained neighborhood children with various fun and imaginative activities.
When Jackie’s parents decided to move from their house and property on Lake Austin to Dallas during 1972, Sam & Jackie decided to purchase the house and property and move the family from Pasadena to Austin. Sam joined the Texas Air Control Board (TACB) in the Summer of 1972 and worked there until his retirement in January 1994. Sam was a manager for most of the years he was at the TACB and hired well over 100 people during that time. He had numerous wonderful experiences with various personnel while he worked at the TACB, and subsequently kept in touch with many of them after he left the agency. Sam then founded Crowther & Associates, Inc. in 1994 and worked part-time as an air quality consultant and expert witness until 2014.
While he was not at work, Sam was an avid fisherman, continued his involvement as a Sunday school teacher at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, volunteer water tester for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), volunteer mentor to many elementary children at various local elementary schools, and neighborhood grandfather. Sam wrote a second book “The Power of Choice”, published in 2012, which chronicled many of his Sunday school lessons that he taught for over five decades. During his journey on Earth, Sam was a significant Christian influence on numerous people, especially children and young adults.
