Pappy Crowe
Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee - 2016 Hall of Fame Inductee
Darrell "Pappy" Crowe
Darrell “Pappy” Crowe was synonymous with service to young people throughout the Tri-Cities region for more than 40 years through his work as an educator, but more so for his work as the Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County for twenty-four years and at the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/Carter County for four years. While the nickname “Pappy” was handed down from his father Manuel, Crowe became a father figure to many young people during his nearly three decades of service with Boys & Girls Clubs.
A native of Johnson City, Tennessee Pappy was an outstanding basketball player from Science Hill High School. In 1965, Crowe graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Education and obtained his Master’s Degree in the same field in 1973. He coached and taught from 1965-1966 at Old North Junior High School in Johnson City, from 1967-1968 at Elizabethton High School and from 1969-1975 at Cocke County High School in Newport. After that, he began his career with Boys & Girls Clubs as the Executive Director in Johnson City for the Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County.
For nearly the next three decades, Crowe went about the business of changing the lives of young people in the upper East Tennessee region. His time as a Boys & Girls Club Executive Director is best characterized by his loyalty to the mission and the youth he served on a daily basis. Thousands of young people have a story about their experience with “Pappy” Crowe, because he got to know each one on a personal level. He permeated his community in that way.
While serving the Club in Johnson City, Crowe built an athletics program that served all of Johnson City and Washington County with T-Ball, basketball and football. He oversaw facility improvements and expansions to athletic facilities and technology labs. During his tenure in Elizabethton and Carter County, Crowe was the driving force behind the acquisition of a new Boys & Girls Club facility that enabled the organization to serve more kids on a daily basis with more comprehensive programming.
Pappy also coached a summer high school boy’s baseball team from the Tri-Cities in the Dizzy Dean League. He was involved with the team and league for over thirty-five years. In the last six years he coached in the League, his team was the “Dizzy Dean Tennessee State Champs.” Pappy will always be remembered by hundreds of young people he helped throughout the area.
His impact on the communities, organizations, and lives he served was only trumped by his devotion to his family and his faith. Crowe served as an elder at Buffalo Valley Christian Church and it was his faith that drove his work for those around him. Along with his wife, Patricia, Pappy had two daughters, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A native of Johnson City, Tennessee Pappy was an outstanding basketball player from Science Hill High School. In 1965, Crowe graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Education and obtained his Master’s Degree in the same field in 1973. He coached and taught from 1965-1966 at Old North Junior High School in Johnson City, from 1967-1968 at Elizabethton High School and from 1969-1975 at Cocke County High School in Newport. After that, he began his career with Boys & Girls Clubs as the Executive Director in Johnson City for the Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County.
For nearly the next three decades, Crowe went about the business of changing the lives of young people in the upper East Tennessee region. His time as a Boys & Girls Club Executive Director is best characterized by his loyalty to the mission and the youth he served on a daily basis. Thousands of young people have a story about their experience with “Pappy” Crowe, because he got to know each one on a personal level. He permeated his community in that way.
While serving the Club in Johnson City, Crowe built an athletics program that served all of Johnson City and Washington County with T-Ball, basketball and football. He oversaw facility improvements and expansions to athletic facilities and technology labs. During his tenure in Elizabethton and Carter County, Crowe was the driving force behind the acquisition of a new Boys & Girls Club facility that enabled the organization to serve more kids on a daily basis with more comprehensive programming.
Pappy also coached a summer high school boy’s baseball team from the Tri-Cities in the Dizzy Dean League. He was involved with the team and league for over thirty-five years. In the last six years he coached in the League, his team was the “Dizzy Dean Tennessee State Champs.” Pappy will always be remembered by hundreds of young people he helped throughout the area.
His impact on the communities, organizations, and lives he served was only trumped by his devotion to his family and his faith. Crowe served as an elder at Buffalo Valley Christian Church and it was his faith that drove his work for those around him. Along with his wife, Patricia, Pappy had two daughters, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.