Victoria Marie Crum

Glendale - Victoria "Vicki" Crum, passed away on September 10, 2024, at Brookdale's Memory Care unit in Glendale, Arizona, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was two weeks shy of her 80th Birthday.

Born to Frank and Doris Italiano on September 25th, 1944, in Richland Center, Wisconsin, she joined her parents, older brother Paul and eventually younger brother, George. The family settled in La Crosse, Wisconsin where Vicki spent her youth and teen years. A natural leader, she quickly demonstrated her penchant for doing just that, becoming president of her high school's Jaycees chapter at age 15. She also developed a passion for horses, impressing one of La Crosse's horse enthusiasts so much that he gifted her an Arab foal that she raised and named "Zarah."

Upon finishing high school, she received what she thought was a full-ride scholarship to Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. However, after Vicki and her younger brother, mother and horse, Zarah, arrived in Oregon, the scholarship fell through, so the family moved to nearby Springfield. While there, Vicki rode and practiced Gymkhana daily and became a very skilled barrel rider. She also began competing in the local rodeos winning trophy after trophy until, at just 17 years old, she was named the Lane County Rodeo Queen.

Soon after, she met the charismatic local disc jockey, Stuart Crum, who was interviewing for its radio's "Kandy Cutie Contest" which she had entered. The two quickly fell in love, marrying in September of 1963. When Stu received a radio news job offer in Arizona, they moved to Phoenix with their two children, Gina and Vince. In Phoenix, she first worked at a nearby Yellow Front discount store, and by the mid-70's she had moved on to assistant manager at JCPenney where she worked for many years.

By 1985 Vicki and Stu had grown apart and divorced. Vicki met Ron Reed through their mutual interest in Toastmasters International and married in 1991. Vicki was also drawn to the healthcare industry as a second career and managed several High Health vitamin stores, where she was named "Top Manager" many years in a row as she earned an unmatched reputation due to her caring and naturally persuasive way with customers and employees and her salesmanship. She was known and will be remembered for her kindness and desire to help everyone she met, as well as her infectious laugh and unforgettable smile.

Vicki is predeceased by her father Frank Italiano and her mother Doris Brennecke. Her husband, Ronald Reed, passed soon after. She is survived by her daughter Gina Hagen, son Vincent Crum; seven grandchildren: Tyler, Luke, Reed, Christian (Hagen), Kyle, Tristan, & Karlyn (Crum); two great-grandchildren: Carter & Marshall Crum; four brothers: Paul, George, Danny & Frank (Italiano); 3 sisters: Ruth McCabe, Kathy Boarman & Judith Pynn; and many nieces and nephews.

In celebration of her life, a Memorial Service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, October 4th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel located at 4901 W. Union Hills Dr, Glendale, AZ 85308.

She will be dearly missed by her family and all who were blessed by her wisdom, charm and smile.