Karen E. Crum

On Monday, October 28, 2024, Karen E. (Enck) Crum, formerly of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away at the age of 81, in Aberdeen, Maryland.

Karen was born on January 13, 1943, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Carlisle High School in 1960. She attended Carlisle Commercial College after high school and worked as a secretary at Carlisle Tire and Rubber for two years after completing the secretarial course at the commercial college.

Karen married John W. Crum of Carlisle in 1962. They moved to Delaware in 1964 so that John could pursue a career teaching history at Mount Pleasant High School and later also at the University of Delaware as an adjunct professor.

Karen was a member of The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Wilmington for almost 50 years, where she volunteered as the church librarian for several years. She also volunteered at several schools in the Brandywine School District during the years when her daughters attended those schools.

In addition to her volunteer work, Karen enjoyed collecting and refinishing antique furniture, decorating, doing needlework and other crafts, and spending time with her cats and especially her grandchildren.

Karen is preceded in death by her husband, John; her parents, Wilbur and Anna Maye Enck; and her brother, Eugene Enck. Survivors include daughters Laurette Crum of Alexandria, Virginia, and Leslie Loder (Rurik) of North East, Maryland; granddaughter Alexis Loder of Baltimore, Maryland; grandson Holden Loder of Charlottesville, Virginia; sister June Egolf of Carlisle, Pennsylvania; brother-in-law James Crum of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Karen's family would like to express their gratitude to Mark DiDomenico and his staff at Dacota Assisted Living in Aberdeen, Maryland, for the exceptional personalized and compassionate care that they provided to Karen during the last three years of her life.

Karen's memorial service will be private. For those wishing to make a donation in Karen's memory, the family suggests a donation to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601. To send condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com.