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WARREN – The public farewell for Jessica Crowder on Tuesday was a celebration of the love and generosity of a woman who was loving and generous to everyone she met.
“She was an awesome and outgoing woman,” said Clinton Fisher, 40, of Warren. “She cared about everyone. She would give anybody anything, even when she did not have very much herself.”
Fisher, a cousin, described Crowder as the type of person who never allowed herself to get down for too long. He said he heard bits and pieces about the abusive relationship that led to her death at the hands of an ex-boyfriend.
“This was extremely shocking,” Fisher said. “I knew he would hurt her, but never imagined it would get to this extent.”
Fisher said one of the lessons that should be learned from his cousin’s death is for women who find themselves in an abusive situations to leave immediately.
“Get away if you can,” he said. “People often stay because they think it will get better. It doesn’t always. I’m sure Jessica never expected this “
Crowder, 36, was killed June 24 by Roleigh Culver, while they argued about groceries at her home at 1336 Hamilton St. SW. Culver, 27, later was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head at 414 Austin Ave. SW.
“More than 100 people – mostly family and friends – filled the Warren Family Mission to celebrate Crowder’s life,” said Dominic Mararri, director of public relations at the mission. “People came out because of the type of woman she was. She was compassionate and genuinely cared about people. She was the type of person who people could depend on to get things done.”
The mission is still collecting donations for the Crowder family. Several anonymous organizations have helped to pay for funeral expenses.
“She has left behind an 11 and a 15-year-old who will need continual support,” Mararri said. “We will have an annual spaghetti dinner for the family.”
Warren Mayor Doug Franklin said he was moved by Crowder’s farewell ceremony.
“There were rolling screen shots of her and her family,” Franklin said.
Franklin hopes the lesson learned from this incident is people should not stay silent when they are in, or see other in, domestic violent situations.
“Don’t be quiet,” Franklin said. “Tell someone who you believe will help or go to the authorities. Don’t turn a blind eye to this. Jessica’s children will be without a mother. They will be scarred for life.”
Bonnie Wilson, executive director of Someplace Safe, a domestic violence shelter in Warren, said the demand for help has steadily increased over the past two years.
“We broke a record on the number of people we housed about two years ago and we’ve been continually full ever since,” Wilson said. “We’re at or near at capacity at any given time.”
Someplace Safe has a 24-hour hotline for anyone in an emergency situation.