Tupelo - Erma Jewel Gunnett Crowe, 100, passed away peacefully, after a century defined by faith, beauty, humor, creativity, resilience, and a deep love for the Lord. Born to William Joseph and Beatrice Province Gunnett on August 26, 1925, in Commerce, Oklahoma, Erma belonged to a generation shaped by hardship and grit. But what made her remarkable was the way she carried all of it, with grace, charm, intelligence, and a spark that never dimmed.

Her life carried her from Oklahoma to California, then to Missouri, and eventually Mississippi, where she built a beautiful life alongside her husband of 72 years, Dr. Denvil Crowe. Their love story began in St. Louis when a persistent young medical student spent months convincing her to finally say yes to a date. That “yes” became a marriage rooted in devotion, faith, laughter, and unwavering love for one another.

To know Erma was to know warmth. She had the rare ability to make people feel special the moment they walked into a room. She was elegant without trying, naturally stylish, quick-witted, and endlessly thoughtful in ways that stayed with people for years. She loved fashion, beautiful things, fresh flowers, hummingbirds, handwritten notes, a well-set table, and gathering people into her home. She could make people laugh with a perfectly timed comment and comfort them with just a few handwritten words.

And if there was one word she treasured, it was “lovely.” She used it often: a lovely day, a lovely meal, a lovely visit, a lovely person. And somehow, she became the definition of the word itself. Erma made life feel lovely. But perhaps her greatest gift was her words.

Erma was a poet in the truest sense of the word. She wrote poems for people in grief, people who were lonely, people who needed encouragement, and people searching for hope. Her words made people feel seen. It is not uncommon for dear friends and loved ones to still have one of her poems tucked away in a drawer, framed on a wall, or saved in a Bible through the years. Later in life, with the help of her daughter, she published two books of poetry: Real Christmas Poems and Grandkids and Other Miracles.

She loved hummingbirds and, in many ways, embodied their characteristics herself: graceful, vibrant, and strong.

Above all else, Erma loved the Lord. Her faith was steady, sincere, and woven into every part of her life. She and her husband were longtime members of Calvary Baptist Church Tupelo, and after his passing, she joined her children at First Baptist Church Tupelo. For decades, she began each morning with prayer, faithfully lifting up her family and anyone God placed on her heart.

She is survived by her children, Denise Eatherly and Denvil F. Crowe Jr. (Janna); grandchildren, Chris Livingston, Camie Crowe Martin and her husband, Bobby, Caitlin Crowe Otis and her husband, Will, and Dee Crowe; great-grandchildren, Rivers and Griffin Otis, and Robert Martin IV; and her special caregiver, Maria Aguirre, whose love and care meant so much to both Erma and her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her beloved husband, Dr. Denvil Crowe.

Erma Crowe leaves behind more than just memories. She leaves behind a feeling, the kind created by people who make life softer, warmer, more beautiful, and lovelier simply by being in it. To know her was to love her, and to read her words was to know her heart. She will be remembered by her family as their matriarch, poet, and hummingbird.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Monday, May 18, 2026, at Pegues, Tupelo.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 18, 2026, at the Jefferson Street Chapel of Pegues Funeral Directors with Bro. Matt Powell officiating. Burial will follow at Tupelo Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Gideon’s International, or to the Music Ministry of First Baptist Church in Tupelo, organizations that both reflected Erma’s deep faith, and love for the Lord.

Expressions of sympathy and fond memories may be left at www.PeguesFuneralHome.com

Genesis 3:19 "...you are dust..."

DUST

My Father God,

How could You see

Some value in

This dust of me?

When jewels surround

Your holy throne,

And Paradise

Divine your home.

Yet, fellowship

With me You plan;

Guess You don't mind

Dust on your hand.

~Erma Jewel Crowe~

© September 19, 1996