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Dr. Eleanor Crowell
SIKESTON — Dr. Eleanor Sue Thompson Crowell, 83, longtime Sikeston area educator, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.
She was born Dec. 28, 1939, in Charleston, Missouri, daughter of William Hazzard and Edna Mae McElmurry Thompson.
Eleanor taught grade school and middle school for more than 30 years at Ferguson-Florissant R-II School District in St. Louis, Missouri; Southeast Elementary in Sikeston and the Sikeston Middle School.
Following her retirement, Eleanor spent several years teaching at Southeast Missouri State University where she helped aspiring educators hone their craft in the classroom.
Eleanor was a 1957 graduate of Charleston High School. She earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a PhD in education from Southern Illinois University.
While at Southeast, Eleanor founded the university's Alpha Delta Pi chapter and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi honor society. At Southern Illinois University, she was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.
Eleanor was a member of First Baptist Church of Sikeston where she sang in the church choir. She also was a past member of the Sikeston Community Choir and sang solos with the St. Louis Symphony.
Eleanor championed a good education. She was a reading specialist and taught nearly every age group, from grade school through college.
Survivors include a son, Scott (Amy) Crowell of Dallas, Texas; sister, Janet (Donald) Presson of Cape Girardeau; grandchildren Christian Crowell and Reid Crowell of Dallas, Texas; nephews, Lucas Presson of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, John Hazzard Thompson and Jason Lee Thompson of Charleston.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, W.R. "Bill" Thompson.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour at noon Tuesday, Dec. 12 at the McMikle Funeral Home in Sikeston. David Orr, interim minister at First Baptist Church in Sikeston, will officiate.
Interment will follow at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery at Charleston.
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Donations may be made to First Baptist of Sikeston.