An obituary from the Hood River News
Lindesay Margaret Crooks, born July 9, 1941, and died Aug. 8, 2013, daughter of Nancibel Thorburn and Harry Means Crooks, Jr.; grand-daughter of Mary Alice Scott and Alexander Thorburn, of Ruth Elliott and Harry Means Crooks; sister to Barbara Frances Crooks Kilbourn and Elliott Thorburn Crooks; aunt to Jed Scott Kilbourn, Alison Elliott Kilbourn and Elizabeth Wales Crooks; great-aunt to Teo Ray Kilbourn-Neal.
She leaves a well-connected and beloved family of cousins — first cousins, second and third cousins throughout North America, Hawaii and Japan, England and Scotland. She also leaves members of the Wieringa family in The Netherlands who became close after Helen lived with the Crooks family more than 50 years ago.
Lindesay was born in Highland Park (Detroit), Mich., and died in Battle Ground, Wash., after living for over seven years with an extreme form of Parkinson’s disease. She graduated with honors from Grosse Pointe High School and received her BA from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., as well as completing her MEd from Michigan State University.
She loved summer camp, starting at Camp Cavell of the Detroit YWCA and becoming a lifeguard and head of the waterfront, and later director of the Girl Scout’s Camp Linden. She was a teacher of English and history for most of her career with the board of education of Royal Oak, Mich.
In 1998 she moved to Hood River, Ore., following the example of her grandparents and parents who had moved there in their retirement years. She was an active participant in the Hood River community, singing in the choir at Riverside Community Church and contributing her expertise and energy to the Tax Aide program, the Friends of the Library and to the Hood River County Education Foundation.
She loved dogs, the out-of-doors, travel, books and reading, puzzles, computers and electronic devices. She loved humor and delighted in making or reacting to it. She was a musician and played the euphonium through high school and the baritone ukulele in college; she loved all kinds of music — instrumental or choral — and most recently was an active church choir member.
Lindesay had many dear friends from all walks of life who made up a loving support network and compassionate community that enabled her to live independently as long as possible. She faced her illness with dignity and strength, with a care for her caregivers that was remarkable as it generated mutual empathy, kindness, thoughtfulness and loyalty.
A thank you to those who cared for her: Ann Stillman, Carla Summerlin and her staff at The Meadows, staff and caregivers from Hearts of Gold, Brookside Manor and Down Manor in Hood River.
A memorial service is delayed until October to allow family members to travel to Hood River so they can say one last goodbye to a beloved sister, aunt and cousin. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 1:30 p.m. at Riverside Community Church, 317 State St., Hood River, OR 97031.
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