Eugene Robert Crowe, “Gene,” died on July 8, 2020, at his home in Nevada City after living for a few years with Lewy Body dementia.
Gene was born in San Francisco on September 25, 1938, to Bernard Crowe and Margaret Sandifer Crowe. He grew up in Corte Madera, attended St. Anselm School, Marin Catholic High School, College of Marin, and graduated from San Francisco State College (now SFSU) with a bachelor’s degree in art and a secondary school credential in art.
He married Judy Brackett in 1961. They moved to Nevada County in 1964 when Gene took a job teaching art at Nevada Union High School. He taught and was a master of many mediums: painting and drawing, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and his favorite medium, photography. He helped design the photo classroom and lab in J-wing at NUHS, and retired from the high school in 1995. He began teaching photography in night classes and summer school at Sierra College, NCC, in 1979, and continued teaching at Sierra until 2007. He loved teaching, was generous with his time, and served as a mentor to numerous students over the years.
Gene helped plan and build his and Judy’s home in Nevada City, designing the elegant curved timber-frame elements. He was a clever, creative, intelligent man. He was a craftsman, an artist with a good eye and a steady hand. He was a thinker. A student of history and politics, he held strong opinions about the way the world works and should work. He loved a good discussion, a vigorous argument.
Gene and Judy made many trips abroad: to Ireland, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Canada, and several visits to the UK where he photographed the ruins of Cistercian abbeys. He was a member of Viewpoint Photography Gallery in Sacramento and of the Artists Collective at Osborn Woods Gallery in Miners Foundry, exhibiting his photographs and wood sculpture. His work has been featured in several galleries and other venues, and has found its way into many private homes.
Gene loved sailing, kayaking, cycling, traveling, playing and coaching soccer, and spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife Judy; daughter Jeanne-Marie Crowe (Don Daniels) of San Anselmo; son Jonathan Crowe (Christi) of Nevada City; son Matthew Crowe of Nevada City; grandchildren Jack Crowe, Sam Crowe, Esther Rose Daniels, and Quinn Daniels; his cousins Ken Crowe and Jerry Crowe; his brother Anthony Crowe (Vicki); brothers- and sisters-in law; and many nieces and nephews.
There will be a celebration of his life at a later date as well as a retrospective exhibition of his work.
