I began this post back on 25 September, the day Thomas Crowder resigned from the Raleigh City Council. I had to stop writing because it felt like an obituary and it was too soon for that. Thomas passed away this afternoon.
Thomas Crowder
I’ve been in a funk for the past few days after hearing that the health of my friend Thomas Crowder has taken a dramatic turn for the worse.
I first met Thomas in person during the 2007 election when he appeared at the League of Women Voters candidate forum. He reminded me a bit of John Wayne, larger than life.
The last time I saw him was about a year ago. We were outside the Raleigh Times one morning when he suddenly stopped speaking and stared at me.
“How’s it feel to be getting older?” he asked with a chuckle.
I was completely bewildered. “What do you mean?”
He gestured at my face. “You’ve got one of those wild, old-man hairs growing on the top of your nose.”
Thomas would occasionally grill me about a parks board vote whenever I stood before Council. It would drive me crazy at the time but I had to admit that the man knows his stuff. If I had a beef with him it was that he represented his district so well. Too well. He’s always been a fierce advocate for District D. Why couldn’t my district councilors get things done the way Thomas did?
Early on in my service as the chair of the East Citizens Advisory Council I was invited to attend one of the community meetings held in Thomas’s district. It was 8 o’clock on a Saturday and the room was packed. Thomas was there as he was for nearly every meeting. I grumble when our daughter has an occasional soccer game at 8 AM but Thomas routinely attended these meetings. He didn’t get paid to do it and there weren’t any TV cameras around. He just did it because he was dedicated to his neighborhood.
A.B. Combs Elementary last week held its “walk to school” event as they have done for decades, only this year was the first in 18 years that Thomas hadn’t joined in. The school dedicated this year’s walk to Thomas in his honor.
Occasionally, meeting at a city function would allow us to chat. “So, when are you going to run for council?” he would ask me. I would always beg off but I do think he really wanted to know.
Thomas was dedicated – extremely dedicated – and absolutely loyal to his constituents. He could seem intimidating at times but his heart was in the right place. His heart was in his city council work. He always called it like he saw it and was never afraid to share his opinion.
As I was eating dinner this evening at home my hand absent-mindedly brushed my face and for a moment I felt the Horn Hair again on my nose. As I reached up to pluck it, the memory of my amusing encounter with Thomas flashed in my mind. It was twenty minutes later that I learned he had passed away.