Doris Mae Crowley

Doris M. Crowley, née Baisley, passed away April 1, 2017, at the age of 99½, in her Woodlake home of 63 years. Born in Highgrove, Riverside County, on October 23, 1917, she spent her childhood years in Los Angeles foster homes with her younger sister, June, and eventually settled with her grandparents in Sacramento.  She was a 1935 graduate of Sacramento High School, and later attended Sacramento Junior (City) College and San Jose State Normal School (San Jose State University) to become a teacher.  Doris’s education was interrupted by World War II, when she left San Jose to work at McClellan Field, where she met her future husband, Charles, a third generation San Franciscan who was stationed at McClellan. They were married in 1945 at Immaculate Conception Church in Sacramento, and later built a beauty salon business, with the original flagship shop in the old Hotel Senator.   In the 1950s, Doris was among the founding members of the Cenacle Retreat League and Mercy Hospital Guild, and was a pioneer in the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) movement for public school children, establishing the CCD program at St. Joseph’s parish in North Sacramento. She was also active for years at St. Francis parish where she led efforts to save St. Francis School from closing. In later years she became an Associate of the Sisters of Mercy and was also active in the Catholic Ladies Relief Society. In 2004 she was named Catholic Woman of the Year by the Sacramento Deanery Council of Catholic Women.  From the 1960s through the early 1980s Doris worked for the State of California, primarily in the Education Department and the State Library.  After her retirement, she served as a volunteer for public radio station KXPR and also became a docent at the Crocker Art Museum, specializing in Bohemian glass.  For several years she was active in the Woodlake Mothers Club (president), the Woodlake Garden Club (president), the Holy Spirit parish book club, and her theater group.  Doris (Dorie to her friends) was well-known for her wonderful sense of humor, memory for old songs, voracious reading, crossword prowess, and sheer love of life. She was predeceased by Charles, by two of their three children—Sheila and David— and by her sister June. She leaves her son Paul, a Jesuit priest, of Santa Clara, five nieces and nephews and their families, and many dear friends.  Great thanks at this time go to her long-time caregiver friends—Irene Guthrie, Esther Jacobs, Di Takiveikata, and Lisa Rometti—as well as to Lola Bailey, Josiane Barnett, Maria Caballero, and William Winters of San Francisco. A very special thanks to the Jesuit Community of Santa Clara University. Vigil Service will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 7, at W. F. Gormley & Sons Funeral Home, 21st and Capitol Avenue, in Sacramento.  Viewing begins at 3 p.m. on Friday.  A concelebrated Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, 3235 Arden Way, Sacramento, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Cristo Rey High School/Scholarship Fund, 8475 Jackson Road, Sacramento, California 95826; or to the Crocker Art Museum, 216 O Street, Sacramento, California 95814.