Jerimiah (Jerry) Thomas Crews, 91, born January 11, 1934, in Duralde, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Villa Maria Retirement Center. He is predeceased by his parents, Lawrence and Lena Granger Crews, brothers Lee B. Crews, Sr. and Jimmy Crews, as well as his niece Martha Crews Core. He is survived by his nieces and nephews, Dorothy Crews Moorefield, Melanie Crews Hallman, Lee Berchman (Burke) Crews, Jr., Cobert Joseph Crews, Danny Crews and Jimmy Daniel Crews, Jr.
He is ALSO survived by a multitude of students (his children) whom he taught over a 70-year career of music education in piano and vocal music in South Louisiana.
Jerry graduated from Landry Memorial High School (1951) in Lake Charles, Louisiana, after attending de La Salle Christian Brothers Academy in Lafayette, Louisiana. He then graduated from McNeese State University (1956) with a BS in Music Education. and an MS in Music Education (1964).
Having begun teaching at St. Charles Academy, Landry Memorial High School and Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, he began the remainder of his career teaching in the Calcasieu Parish Public School system. These schools included F. K. White Middle School, S. J. Welsh Middle School, A. M. Barbe High School, S. P. Arnett Middle School, W. O. Boston High School, and Lake Charles High School, (He also wrote the music for A. M. Barbe’s Alma Mater.)
During most of this time, he also taught every summer in the Louisiana Governor’s Program for Gifted Children at McNeese State University. This was perhaps his most cherished endeavour!
Since around 2000, he also taught private piano lessons to a multitude of students at his studio at Our Lady Queen of Heaven.
For many years he also sang in and directed the church choir at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Gifts in Jerry's honor may be sent to:
Christian Brothers
New Orleans - Santa Fe District
4401 Redwood Road
Napa, CA 74558
[email protected]
A Latin Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 beginning at 5:00 p.m. and visitation will follow until 8:30 p.m. On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, visitation will resume in the church at 8:30 a.m. with a A Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be held at Prien Memorial Park. Bishop Glen Provost and Father Ruben Buller will be officiating at the services.
Following graveside committal services, a reception will be held at 5779 Birch Street, Lake Charles. …about a mile from the cemetery!
Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.hixonfuneralhomes.com.
