Irene F. Crowley

Mrs. Crowley was born in Deerfield, NH, and was raised in Connecticut. Following her graduation from high school and a brief time spent working; Irene enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in 1943. Once enlisted, she worked as a recruiter, which was how she met her husband Frank. Frank was a recruiter for the U.S. Navy, and they met at a U.S.O. Dance prior to both being shipped overseas. While overseas, Irene worked as a records clerk in New Guinea. She was honorably discharged in 1945 with Sergeant Rank. In 1946, she married Frank and they moved to Newton where they started their family. In 1951, they moved to Norwood and were active with the Curtain Timers theatre group for many years. Irene was involved with the Norwood League of Women Voters where she served as president twice. In 1978, she became one of the founding members of the Norwood Art Association, serving as president twice.

In recent years, Irene enjoyed traveling all over the world with Frank. She loved to paint, especially landscapes and still life, and received many accolades for her art work. A longtime member of the United Church of Norwood, Irene more recently became a member of the United Church in Walpole since moving to New Pond Village five years ago.

She was the daughter of the late Van Buren and Elisabeth (Switser) Sanborn and wife of the late Francis “Frank” Brendan Crowley, who passed away in 2006. Survived by her four daughters, Christine Crowley of San Antonio, TX, Lynne Crowley and her husband Michael Behar of Larchmont, NY, Lisa Ballard of Charleston, SC, and Jill Crowley and her husband Bryan Snyder of Concord, MA; her two grandsons, Austin Ballard of Charleston, SC, and Andrew Behar of Larchmont, NY; her sister, Frances Sanborn of CT. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her son-in-law, Geoffrey Ballard, and her siblings, Gerald Sanborn, Linn Sanborn, Wayne Sanborn, Carlena Houston, Pearl Spaulding, and June Lewis.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 15, at 2:00pm in the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street, Walpole. Visiting hours will be on Friday, January 14, from 4:00 – 8:00pm at the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street (Rte.1A), Norwood. Interment will follow the service in Highland Cemetery, Norwood.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Mrs. Irene F. Crowley to the Norwood Art Association, PO Box 865, Norwood, MA 02062 or to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen Street, Framingham, MA 01701.

Arrangements under the direction of Gillooly Funeral Home, Norwood, MA.