Katherine Pulliam Crowder

Katherine Pulliam Crowder passed peacefully at home in her sleep November 28 at 87. She is most remembered as passionate, gracious, elegant and generous mentor to her children, grandchildren, countless students and especially as a role model for African American women. Katherine was born Sept. 22, 1928, in Gary, Indiana. She graduated in 1950 from Howard University with a B.A. in drama and political science. Katherine traveled the world with her husband, Marcus Crowder, whom she met at Howard and married in 1951. During his Air Force career, they were stationed in Nashville, Tenn.; Croughton Air Force Base in Northhamptonshire, England; McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey; JUSMAG in the Philippines; and McClellan Air Force Base, North Highlands. She also traveled to Jamaica, Hong Kong, South Africa, Kenya, Europe, and China. Katherine studied graduate Speech and Drama at Tennessee A & I State University, and earned an M.S. in Counselor Education from California State University, Sacramento. A lifelong educator, Katherine taught English, drama, history and debate at Don Julio Junior High School, where she developed innovative curricula and was the community liaison for human relations in crisis situations. She worked for a year as a counselor at the Women's Center at Sacramento City College before coming to CSUS, where she spent 17 years at every level of the Educational Opportunity Program, including acting director. A lover of the arts and travel, Katherine performed with the groundbreaking Sons and Ancestors Theater Company at CSUS and was in the cast of the legendary production of "Lost in the Stars" at the Eaglet Theater in Sacramento. She also witnessed performances by Duke Ellington, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Billie Holiday, Marlon Brando, James Earl Jones, Ruby Dee, Audra MacDonald and many others. Katherine was active in civic af fairs, serving as a treasurer for the Human Rights Commission of City and County of Sacramento. She was a member of the NAACP, the Urban League, Delta Sigma Theta, the Red Hatters, San Juan School District Affirmative Action Committee and the Patrons Club at American River College. She was preceded in passing by husband, Marcus Crowder Sr.; mother, Myra Ayers Pulliam; father, Marcellus Pulliam; sisters, Inez Edwards and Irashel Smith Fitzgerald and brother, Maurice Pulliam. She is survived by her sons, Marcus Crowder Jr. of Sacramento, Charles Pulliam Crowder of Oakland; grandchildren, Michael Crowder, Chaya Crowder, Chelsea Crowder of Brooklyn and Manhattan, Kattie Crowder and Barak Crowder of Oakland; nephew, Fred Smith of Los Angeles; daughters-in-law, Skylier Crowder and Laura Compton, and many friends and colleagues including Carol Barbee, Sumatra Kirkland, Donnie Machen and Phyliss Marshall. A Celebration of Life for Katherine Pulliam Crowder will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 17 at Unity Church, 9249 Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95826. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to Sacramento's Celebration Arts (http:// celebrationarts.net/aboutus.html, a multicultural, multi-discipline performing arts. Donations can be made directly through GoFundMe at the following link: http://e.gofund.me/y9eb9exg