Carolee Thompson Crain, 80, passed away Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, at Avalon Care Center in Pullman from complications of Alzheimer's.
Born May 20, 1930, in Norfolk, Va., to Hugh and Carey Thompson, Carolee grew up following her father's naval career. She lived in Hawaii, the tiny island of Tatoosh, the Washington coast, and Brooklyn, N.Y. before World War II kept her father away. Carolee and her mother moved to her grandparents' Kansas farm where she finished high school on her 16th birthday. Those early years gave her two lifelong loves: teaching and the ocean.
When she graduated from high school, Carolee returned to Washington state where she graduated from the University of Washington at the age of 20 with a bachelor's degree in education. During her last year at the University of Washington, while working in the library Carolee met a young engineering student named Richard Crain who also was employed there. By the time Carolee graduated, they had made plans to marry. Dick was a naval cadet who had to finish his service before marrying, so while they waited the five years to marry, Carolee taught elementary school on Vashon Island. They married June 20, 1955.
After having their first three children, Carolee and Dick left the Navy and moved to Ypsilanti, Mich., where they had their fourth child. In Michigan, Carolee got her master's degree in education from Eastern Michigan University while Dick got his doctorate at the University of Michigan. In 1965, they moved to Pullman when Dick got a position at WSU. That fall, Carolee began a 26-year teaching career in the Pullman School District, primarily fourth and fifth grades. She was a natural teacher who was feared by younger students and beloved by her own. She often called her class "Crain's Brains," and was always looking for new ways to motivate and teach. As long as she taught, Carolee never stopped learning to be a better teacher. She was also an active, often very vocal, member of the Pullman Education Association.
In the mid-1960s, with four children, Carolee and Dick looked into adding to their family and were thrilled to become parents to two adopted sons. Having been an only child, Carolee had always wanted a large family and these last two boys made her family complete. She was a faithful member of Simpson United Methodist Church in Pullman, participated on committees, in Bible Studies, bell choir, and led Sunday school. Her church home was always very important to her. Carolee is preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Dick Crain, her parents Hugh and Carey Thompson, and son Andrew. She is survived by her children Rich Crain and wife, Dayle, of Tacoma, Carolyn Wiley and husband, Steve, of Bellingham, Laurie Crain of Ventura, Calif., Ruth Ryan and husband, Bill, of Pullman and David Crain and wife, Erin, of Plymouth, Mass.; and 10 beloved grandchildren: Kevin, Sarah, Logan, Elizabeth, Laura, Jonathan, Mark, Stephanie, Karoun, and Kalen. A memorial service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, at the Simpson United Methodist Church in Pullman. Kimball Funeral Home is caring for the family. Donations may be made to Pullman Education Foundation. Online condolences may be sent to www.kimballfh.com.
