Kenneth Foree Crumley

1941 - 2021

Kenneth Foree Crumley MD, MPH



Dr. Kenneth F. Crumley died peacefully on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, in the loving arms of his devoted wife, Dr. Rene S. Silleroy. He is survived by his wife; brother, Edward; daughters, Margaret and Amanda; and their families.

A well-respected clinician and professor, Dr. Crumley was widely considered to be the father of modern child psychiatry in New Mexico. The descendant of pioneers who traveled in the mid-1800s by covered wagon to the Lone Star State, he was born and raised in Dallas, TX. There, he completed high school at Highland Park High where he was a scholar and Texas State tennis champion. After graduating with honors from Rice University, he completed medical school at Yale. Following an internship at Duke, Dr. Crumley joined the Indian Health Service where he treated Native Americans in Gallup, NM. While there, he created the first Navajo language medical dictionary. Dr. Crumley then completed a residency and fellowship in child psychiatry at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, eventually joining the faculty there. While at UCLA, he also completed a Master's Degree in Public Health, a career-long interest.

Dr. Crumley returned to NM in 1979 to establish a training program in child psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, where he served as Medical Director for the Children's Psychiatric Center during its formative years. Serving 42 years at UNM, Dr. Crumley taught, trained, mentored, and consulted with generations of child psychiatrists. He viewed these young practitioners as collaborators rather than trainees and always said that he enjoyed working "to stay one step ahead of them" in terms of knowledge and expertise. Dr. Crumley simultaneously worked as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for the Presbyterian Medical Group for 23 years. His profound interest in solving the problems of youth violence also led him to serve as medical director at the NMDOH Sequoyah Adolescent Treatment Center. Convinced that youthful offenders suffered from brain dysfunctions that could be corrected with proper treatment, he further designed and conducted research studies to develop successful therapies.

Dr. Crumley was beloved for his brilliant mind, quiet and humble leadership, compassion and gentleness with patients and colleagues alike, as well as for his steadfast determination to make the world a better place.

A Memorial Service and open house will be held on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at FRENCH-University so that his many friends and colleagues may share their memories. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you contribute to a program that works to support the mental health of New Mexico's children and adolescents.

Please visit our online guestbook for Dr. Crumley at

www.frenchfunerals.com