A Life Marked by Tragedy: Victor Michael Crow

I've intended to write about Victor Michael Crow (1918-1975) for some time. He was the husband of my 3rd cousin 1x removed. Not a close relationship, but I was touched at the multiple tragedies he suffered. I've also been meaning to test out ChatGPT since AI is here to stay and I need to learn more about it. So today, I've merged the two tasks and this is the result.

To be clear, I love to write! I have absolutely no intention of letting AI write "for me"...but I might let it "help" me from time to time. For this post I asked ChatGPT if it could write a bio from the facts I supplied. I simply copied/pasted the facts from the person profile in my Ancestry tree. I was surprised at how well it did, but I wasn't totally happy with the first run through, so I asked ChatGPT to try again. There were parts of each result I liked, so I've merged them and made a few tweaks (including adding details from newspaper articles not included in the facts I provided and correcting a few dates where AI didn't have enough information to correct a newspaper date to the actual date incidents happened). Overall, I was really happy with how well it did! While AI can't replicate my sometimes dry and hopefully witty humor, for a piece like this, it was helpful. Without further ado...

Victor Michael Crow was born on August 30, 1918, in Lostine, Wallowa, Oregon. He was the son of Michael and Jennie Crow and entered into this world on a bright morning at 9:45 am. At the age of 23, he explored his talents as an actor. Following this, he pursued a college education, completing four years before January 30, 1942, showcasing his commitment to knowledge and personal growth. The winds of World War II swept him into the military, where he served in the Army Air Corps from January 30, 1942, to December 21, 1945. Starting as a Private, he rose to the rank of Sergeant, displaying dedication and valor.

Residing in Wallowa, Oregon, Victor's life took an unexpected turn on November 18, 1955. Tragedy struck Victor's family when his first wife, Mary Lou Greenwood, and daughter, Jeni Le Crow, passed away due to accidental exposure to freezing temperatures. This incident surely left an indescribable void in Victor's heart. Sadly, his young son found the bodies of his mother and sister. While the cause of death is not known for sure, the coroner believed Mary Lou may have broken her back or neck while climbing a haystack to get feed for livestock. He theorized Jeni Le may have followed her mother out to the barnyard and ended up in the freezing cold alone. As his mother had told him she would be out for the afternoon, 11 year old Philip was not worried when he arrived home from school and no one was home. He ended up going to bed. When he woke the next morning and there was still no one around, he went out to look for them and found the bodies. With his father away for work, he drove a tractor 2 miles to town to report the incident. I can't begin to imagine how their deaths affected both Victor and Philip. 

In the midst of life's challenges, Victor found love again. On June 12, 1959, at the age of 40, he married Elda Mae Childers in Boise, Ada, Idaho. Their union took place at Orchard Avenue Baptist Church, and was witnessed by Ethel T Crow (possibly his sister-in-law, but I'm not 100% sure) and L Warner Crow (Victor's brother). The couple made their residence in Joseph, Wallowa, Oregon, building a life together. However, fate dealt another cruel hand and heartbreaking loss. On February 3, 1961, less than two years after their marriage, tragedy struck again as Elda Mae Childers lost her life in a terrible car accident. Their car crashed into a pickup truck stopped on the side of the highway. The impact threw the truck across a bridge abutment and the Crow's car spun out of control, throwing Victor from the vehicle into the middle of the road. There was a small fire in the front of the car, but the fire department was able to extinguish it. Elda Mae died instantly of head injuries. They had been on the way to a basketball game where one of her brothers was a referee and Victor's two children were already in attendance at the game.

Undeterred, Victor continued his journey and, on April 11, 1971, at the age of 52 in Lostine, Wallowa, Oregon, he entered into a third marriage. Victor joined his life with my relative, Ariss Jeanette Jones. The officiant for the ceremony was William B Watson, a clergyman. In the following years, Victor was actively involved in ranching, and he and Ariss made their residence in Enterprise, Wallowa, Oregon. Victor continued his ranching occupation until his passing. He filled his time as a member of Standley Masonic Lodge 113 AF & AM of Wallowa, Baker Consistory of the Scottish Rite, BPOE 1829 of Enterprise, Hurricane Creek Grange, Oregon State Grange, and American Legion Post 18 of Enterprise. All of these reflected his active involvement in the community. 

Before his death, he was also affiliated with the Joseph United Methodist Church. Victor Michael Crow's journey came to an end on October 29, 1975, just four and a half years after marrying Ariss. His funeral, held at Joseph Methodist Church, witnessed officiants R. E. Hefty and Rev. Wm B Watson, with Masonic Committal services by Standley Lodge #113 AF & AM. Victor found his resting place in Lostine Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy resonating with those who knew him.

His story lives on, documented through various sources, including newspapers, certificates, and media archives. Victor's life, marked by triumphs and tribulations, remains a testament to resilience, love, and the enduring spirit of those who face life's challenges head-on.

Image by Moshe Harosh from Pixabay