Emily Crockett

Emily Crockett, 26, died Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, in Rose Monahan Hospice after a long battle with brain tumors. Emily was a sophomore at Harvard College.

She leaves her father, Walter Crockett, and her brother, Jackson Crockett and his wife, Kaithlyn Kayer, all of Worcester. Her mother, Valerie Crockett, died in 2009. She also leaves her grandparents, Walter and Helen Crockett, of Lawrence, Kansas, and Carlton Orchinik and his wife, Beth, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania; aunts, uncles, and cousins; close family friends Judith Kasser, Eric Greece, Janice MorganJones and Nancy Ambrose; and beloved dogs Lexi and Dharma. She was predeceased by Brufus, Lilac and Scout.

Born in Worcester, Emily attended Chestnut Nursery School, Chandler Magnet School, University Park Campus School and the Goddard School of Science and Technology. She graduated from Burncoat High School in the music magnet program. She spent seven years at Harvard College, majoring in statistics, taking two classes per semester between bouts of illness.

Emily was diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma at the age of 6. Through multiple surgeries and treatments she developed physical deficits and became legally blind. There were times in her life when pain and illness brought her low, but with help from many people along the way, and due to a fierce inner strength, she overcame her difficulties and honed an unyielding determination to live and to laugh.

During one of her darkest times in grade school, a week at Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp turned Emily's life around. She came home with a renewed will to live. The staff and volunteers at Why Me in Worcester were a second family to her. A wish-trip visit with Garth Brooks when she was 13 spurred a lasting relationship with Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. She took to heart his counsel, "Always believe."

Valerie Crockett made it her life's work to help Emily get an accessible education and the best medical care possible. The family fought extended battles over accessibility. At one point, Emily refused to leave the office of the Assistant Superintendent of Schools until he met with her. She petitioned the School Committee and even threatened to picket the administration building, a spectacle that was averted by the intercession of then-mayor Tim Murray. In the end, however, the Worcester public schools did well by Emily. She had many excellent teachers over the years. At Harvard, the accessibility battles resumed and continued for several years until they were resolved in her favor. Again she had numerous friends and supporters among students, staff and administrators at Harvard.

Ultimately, the educational system did not fail Emily. She prevailed on the merits of her case and changed both institutions to some degree. The medical system also worked for her. She was fortunate to have excellent doctors and nurses throughout her life, including her skilled neurosurgeons, Dr. Alan "Big Al" Cohen, and Dr. Carl Heilman. She profited from the kindness of countless friends and strangers. People of all walks of life went out of their way to help her.

Emily was known to her friends for her sharp intellect, remarkable math skills, and her earthy, not to say juvenile, sense of humor. She loved laughter, Garth, Big Al and dogs. She was a sweet, loving, generous and gentle soul, when not filled with righteous anger. She was an accomplished songwriter and composer of one-handed piano pieces.

Emily was steadfast in her determination to survive. She suffered from a series of glioblastomas over the last 18 months of her life, but remained calm and uncomplaining through treatments and side-effects. To the end, she retained her sense of humor, her intellect, her courage, and her love for others, inspiring all around her.

In this way she achieved the goal stated in her college application essay: "I hope to enhance the daily lives of others as much as possible. But I want, even more, to leave something behind, some accomplishment that will have a long-lasting effect on the world, even after I am gone. I'm not looking to do something to make me famous, just to help make the world a better place."

Calling hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, at United Congregational Church, 6 Institute Road. Memorial contributions may be made to Support Our Fine Arts, Burncoat High School, 175 Burncoat St., Worcester, MA. 01606. For directions and Emily's on-line guestbook, please visit:

nordgrenmemorialchapel.com