Peter Glenn Crow passed away peacefully on July 30, 2025, at UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina, surrounded by his beloved family. He was 82 years old. Pete had battled several health issues in recent years, and in the last month, doctors believed he had developed Multiple Myeloma.
Pete was born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC, by his parents Edward Wilson Crow, Jr. and Forrest Rose Hastings Crow, alongside his older brother Edward Wilson Crow, III. He attended Summit School through the 8th grade and graduated from Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia. Pete earned his undergraduate degree from Davidson College, a Master’s degree from Florida State University, and a PhD from Duke University.
Pete dedicated his professional life to education. After teaching for one year at Stratford College in Danville, VA, he spent 35 years on the faculty of Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia. At Ferrum, he made numerous contributions, including serving as chair of the Language, Literature, Philosophy, and Religion Department. One of his lasting legacies was helping to develop the Appalachian Cluster program in 1999, an interdisciplinary course that remains a unique and valued part of Ferrum’s curriculum.
Beyond the classroom, Pete was active in his community and in his children’s lives. He coached his son Rob’s soccer team. He also was a gifted writer. His book Do, Die or Get Along explores life in Appalachian coal towns, and his upcoming novel Staying Alive in Bear Country, scheduled for release in July 2026, draws from a lifetime of stories, hiking trips, and family adventures.
Pete was an avid outdoorsman who believed in leaving every place better than he found it. He loved hiking and canoeing and was an early advocate for conservation. In 1974, as a member of the Sierra Club, he helped stop the construction of a dam on Virginia’s New River, later leading canoe trips down its preserved waters.
In retirement, Pete remained a lifelong learner. He took up learning Spanish. When asked why, he told Rob “I hate crosswords, but want to keep my mind fresh.” He tutored elementary school students in Raleigh and worked with the Episcopal Honduras Health Mission, where he formed deep friendships and made a lasting impact. He was also active in Better Angels, a movement committed to civil discourse and political bridge-building.
Pete’s curiosity took him around the globe. He traveled to Europe after college, roamed through four continents, and helped lead youth mission trips in Kenya with his wife, Beth. He formed a special bond with a young boy named Samuel at an orphanage near Nairobi—a friendship that inspired a heartfelt poem.
At home, Pete instilled his passion for learning and adventure in his family. Each summer, the Crows would embark on new adventures—hiking the Grand Canyon, navigating the French rail system, and unconvincingly advocating for his children to follow him through a graveyard in New England to see Ralph Waldo Emerson’s grave.
Pete shared a deep love for Duke basketball and St. Louis Cardinals baseball with his daughter, Amy. He was a dedicated member of both Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in Callaway, Virginia, and Church of the Nativity in Raleigh, North Carolina serving in various leadership and outreach roles.
Pete is survived by his loving wife, Mary Elisabeth (Beth) Crow; daughter, Amy Elisabeth Crow; son, Robert Glenn Crow; daughter-in-law, Jennifer Lynn Crow; brother, Edward Wilson Crow; sister-in-law, Anne Stone Crow; and two cherished grandchildren, Harper Lynn Crow and Harrison Edward Crow.
A Service to Celebrate Pete’s Life
will be held on August 10, 2025, at 4:00 PM
at the Church of the Nativity Episcopal Church
8849 Ray Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Church of the Nativity’s Outreach Ministries. Contributions can be made online at:
We invite you to share your memories and stories of Pete as we celebrate a life well-lived—full of kindness, curiosity, and unwavering commitment to the people and places he loved.