Ann Louisa Crews

Ann Louisa Hanson was a Valentine’s Day gift, born February 14th, 1936 to Louise Robison and Perry Robert Hanson in Wichita, Kansas. She attended school in Wichita, finishing her high school education at Hockaday School for Girls in Dallas, graduating in 1953.

After high school she attended Colorado College where she pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma and majored in French. After graduating, she and three friends moved to San Francisco seeking adventure, but romance intervened. She had a blind date a number of years before with a young man from Tulsa, Bill Crews. As fate would have it, he was in Berkeley finishing seminary, she looked him up and on November 8th, 1958 they were married at St. James Episcopal church in Wichita.

What followed was a whirlwind of movement. From Oklahoma, where Bill served churches in Hugo and Antlers (you may or may not find them on a map), to New York City, where Emily was born. Bill was eyeing a move to Switzerland to work with the World Council of Churches, but Ann steered the family to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Tim was born. Three moves in four years, two of them while pregnant!

There were more moves after that, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, California, Kansas, Colorado, retiring to Prescott, Arizona, then Minneapolis, and finally settling in Cannon Falls, MN, in 2017. Fifteen houses in 60 years!

Being married to an Episcopal priest delivered challenges and opportunities that she tackled with grace and humor, navigating the often strong personalities and volatile politics of churches and religious organizations. Cooking at the Canterbury Kitchen while in Albuquerque, and volunteering at the St. Francis Center in Denver allowed her to cultivate an identity of her own, one grounded in nurture, compassion and service.

Ann also had a creative streak. She played the piano and organ, and was an avid knitter and weaver. Her patience, tenacity and attention to detail in these pursuits was remarkable. Even later in life, when she had lost most of her eyesight to macular degeneration, knitting remained her anchor. Her persistence resulted in her final creation: a baby blanket for her new great-grandson, Calvin, completed just days before her death.

Ann was a loving and lovable mother, a supreme homemaker, an adventurous cook, a gracious and ever-welcoming friend who enriched the lives of many. She was at home in the out-of-doors-- a camper, a fly-fisherwoman, and a gardener. She loved to read mysteries and thrillers and was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan until John Elway and the Broncos stole her allegiance. A longtime cat person, Ann’s last years were greatly enriched by her two cat companions: Milo and Buddy.

Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Walter S. Hanson II, and her husband of 64 years, William E. Crews. Ann is survived by daughter Emily Peterson (Bill) and son Tim Crews (Sarah); five grandchildren (Nick, Paul, Sarah, Ruby and Claire); two step-grandchildren (Sean and Terra); three step great-grandchildren (Vireo, Harrison and Evie); and one great-grandchild, Calvin.

Special thanks to the Moments Hospice team for their care and compassion.

A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, 4201 Sheridan Ave. South, on Saturday, September 13th at 1:00p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial donations to be sent to one of the following:

The Land Institute, 2440 E. Water Well Rd.Salina, KS 67401   landinstitute.org

Friends of San Lucas, 3459 Washington Dr. #207, Eagan, MN 55122       sanlucasmission.org

River Bluff Humane Society, 1213 Brick Ave. Red Wing, MN 55066      rbhspets.org