Wilma (Latham) Crew Obituary

Wilma (Latham) Crew-a beacon of resilience, love, and resourcefulness-passed away peacefully in Vista, California, on May 6, 2025, at the remarkable age of 100.

Born on January 24, 1925, in rural Kansas near Beloit, Wilma's early life was shaped by the challenges of the era. She lived in Colby, Kansas, until 1935, when her family moved to Lomita, California, seeking new opportunities during the Dust Bowl and Depression. There, Wilma attended Narbonne High School. After school, she worked on aircraft wings at Doak Industries in Torrance for the war effort.

In 1943, Wilma married her beloved Jay Crew. Their happily-ever-after was almost immediately threatened when Jay was drafted just 11 months later. When he was shipped overseas, Wilma had no idea which theatre of war he was heading to. The first communication she received was a telegram saying he'd been wounded in combat in the Philippines.

With incredible foresight and dedication, Wilma saved the money Jay sent home from overseas and purchased a gas station, ensuring he would have a business to return to after the war. This act of love and pragmatism was a hallmark of her character.

After the war, Wilma and Jay settled in Torrance, California, where they lived for 75 years until Jay died in 2020, aged 99.

Wilma's resilience was evident throughout her life, from making all her and her sister's clothes during the Depression and the war, to her unwavering and endless support for her family, even through the most difficult times. Above all, Wilma cherished looking after her family.

A brilliant home economist, she was well-known for her exceptional quilt-making, cooking, and baking. She specialized in comfort food. After Jay retired, they enjoyed many adventures together, embarking on bus trips that took them around California and as far as Alaska. In her later years, she loved taking adult education classes in quilting and cake decorating and watching documentaries at the local senior center. One of her favorite sayings was, "You learn something new every day."

Wilma was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Rachel Latham; her beloved husband of 77 years, Jay Crew; her son, Jay Logan Crew; her brother, Delbert Latham; and her sister, Wanda Coggins.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her son, Jim Crew; her daughter-in-law Cindy; her grandchildren, Katrina, Will, and Rob Crew; and her great-grandchildren, Abigail, Danny, Lilah, and Valerie. Her legacy of love, strength, and devotion to family will live on in all who knew her.