Francina Kay Crown was born on August 28th, 1940 to Lonnie and Alma Byram in the family’s lifelong home located at the corner of Coltrane & Danforth in Edmond. Though in a different home on another street, she lived her entire life on the same section of land that her great grandfather homesteaded in the land run of 1889. She was the fourth of five children. In 1958, Kay graduated from Edmond High School.
Kay started dating Joe Crown on a blind date when she was a sophomore in high school. They broke up a few months later. But their paths crossed again and they started dating not to be parted again. She married the love of her life on March 14, 1959. They raised four children.
After the kids were older, around 1973, Kay went to work for Wynn’s IGA where Joe already worked as a butcher in the meat market. She started out as a cashier but soon became the office manager. In 1982, she was chosen as Edmond Chamber’s Employee of the Year. She worked at Wynn’s until 1987 when she quit to babysit a newly born granddaughter.
Joe worked evenings for the City of Edmond as a custodian in 1988. In 1991, Kay started working for the city helping Joe with the custodial work. Joe and Kay retired together in 2002.
Besides working together, Kay & Joe did most everything else together. They enjoyed playing all kinds of games, going dancing, fishing, and hunting. Most of all, they enjoyed spending time with their family: kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. Kay had a way of making everyone feel like family.
One of the things that most people will remember about Kay was her love for cooking, baking and candy making. She especially loved to make Christmas candy and shared it with everyone she knew.
Kay was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Lynn Byram, Lonnie Duane (LD) Byram, Jay Byram, and sister Joy Neidy. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, daughters Palma Lough (Mike), Lonetta Lakin (Paul), Jalyn Crown (Mike), and son Don Crown. There are five granddaughters Kim Maple, Shelly Derrick (Will), Karla Heird (Bennie), Nicchole Crown and Anna Lakin plus five great grandkids and many more friends and family. She will be missed by all.
There will be a private graveside service at Gracelawn Cemetery on Wednesday, April 8th, at 11:00 am.
A celebration of life will be held sometime in August.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18