Marylou Crum

Sandra Marylou Crum,

of Overland Park, KS passed away peacefully on September 3rd, 2024. A Celebration of Life will be held September 13, 2024 at Church of the Resurrection Leawood in Wesley Chapel at 10:00am.

Known by most as Marylou or Grandma Marylou, she was born August 14, 1939 in Liberty, MO in her childhood home to Lucille and Gilbert Harris. Marylou was active in 4H, Student Council at Liberty High School and was a member of the Second Baptist Church of Liberty. After high school, Marylou graduated from William Jewell College completing her radiology training through Research Medical Center. Shortly thereafter she married Allan Crum on January 26, 1963.

After her two children, Cynthia and Phillip were born, she transitioned to working part-time at the John Deere Implement Dealership in Platte City. During this time, she was very involved in the community via the Extension Club, the Study Club (of which she was the president for a term) and she became the Welcome Wagon lady in Platte City. She was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Platte City where she grew a catering business out of a need for better church basement accompaniments.

She and the family moved to a farm in Farley, MO in 1978 where she eventually transitioned to selling real estate, working at Remax and later Knottingham Realty for over 15 years.

Marylou was drawn to people and gained energy from loving others. She took joy in hearing and sharing stories about family, sports, recipes and gardening. Later in life she had various jobs that allowed her to be surrounded by people - from working at Kansas Sampler to ProScripts to Ceramic Cafe and several fragrance companies. She was a member of Church of the Resurrection Leawood for more than 20 years and enjoyed giving her time to the Clothing Closet and Heart to Heart projects. And, nearly a full time job, she tailgated at KU football games for 33 straight years, providing food and beverages and laughter for anyone who stopped by. Marylou knew and remembered everyone and their stories, and everyone loved Marylou. She was loved not only by her own family, but the friends of her children, grand-children and even great grandchildren.

Most important to Marylou was her family. She and Allan were married 47 years before his passing in 2011. Throughout the years, she selflessly focused her time on her kids and grandchildren who she adored and loved and cherished. She was able to attend and celebrate all three of her grandchildren's high school and college graduations, and was at every birthday party, dance recital, baseball game, band concert and family gathering in which she could possibly attend. When she was no longer able to get around or out and about easily, she became very active on social media making friends on Facebook - friends from near and far who shared her passions of sports and family and recipes. She followed her grandchildren's activities, posted birthday wishes to everyone she knew and shared positive comments on friends and strangers' posts alike. She wanted to share joy and she did it in every and any way she could.

Marylou is missed by so many- those who knew her well and those who knew her a little. She is most greatly missed by her daughter, Cynthia Zamora, her son and daughter in law, Phillip and Jenny Crum, grandchildren, Michael Zamora (Stephanie), Gretchen Crum and Lucy Crum, and great grandchildren.