A Few Words from Beth Crow
Pete and I shared forty-eight years together. By the time we met, he had a Ph.D. in English and was teaching at Ferrum College. Even before we married, he shared his love for the outdoors with me on backpacking adventures to Dolly Sods, West Virginia. I can remember as clearly as if it were yesterday Pete telling his mother that our three-month-old daughter, Amy, did fine camping once we covered her with leaves; his mother was not impressed. Our children, Amy and Rob, grew up around nature and storytelling. Like Pete had done with his campers years earlier, he would make up stories to distract them from complaining about the hiking. Our yellow child-carrying backpack became Big Bird, and fallen trees along the path were discarded toothpicks from area giants. Old Joe Grady was as much a part of our family as any relative. Many of the stories within Staying Alive in Bear Country were shared during soccer practice, canoe trips, or around a campfire. There were also many stories about Pete’s adventures in the wilderness, such as his own encounter with a black bear—a story we often attributed to his tall-tales. Pete was a man of honor, an individual who truly worked hard at seeing the good in all people. He was a mentor to so many, not just his students and his children. One of the young adults from Botswana with whom Pete worked during the program I coordinated in 2015–2017 recently wrote: “Thank you to you and Uncle Pete for being such a great impact in our lives, Aunty Beth. Each time I am going through it and feel like the world is closing in on me, I remember a conversation I had with Uncle Pete in Cape Town in 2016 where he told me to appreciate chaos because the character development that comes from it makes me the leader I am. This has become something akin to Philippians 4:13—a personal mantra.” I miss him beyond words, but the publication of this book has helped keep his spirit alive. I am so very proud of my children for all they have done to ensure Pete’s book would be published, from Rob working through this past year with Professor Lana Whited and Black Rose Writing, to Amy using her graphic design skills to create flyers to promote upcoming book launches. Pete would be so proud as well.
A Few Words from Amy Crow
I have always embraced the title “Daddy’s Girl” perhaps because I also always embraced being a Daddy’s Girl. Dad and I had a way of communicating that was different from anyone else I have ever known. I would listen and show interested in his interests, and he would often (at least pretend to) take interest in mine. For quite a while, my interest was shopping. It took work and a certain finesse to get my dad to buy something I wanted. I often spent more time convincing him than I did ever enjoying whatever he had bought me. So a lesson in Chaucer may be traded for new shin guards, a discussion on Macbeth translated into a new rain jacket, and a long involved discussion on Faulkner may have resulted in a new pair of pjs for college. We both knew how to work the other. This stayed true throughout my entire life. Around 45 I remember finally explaining to Mom and Dad that disappointing my dad was the worst thing I could imagine. I don’t know that this is what lead me to teaching for sure, but as I approach my 17th year teaching, I know for certain that I became a teacher largely to be closer to my dad. It just turned out lucky for both of us that it was what we love and were meant to do. I remember having my dad come visit my class and being so excited to show him off. I also remember seeing him get totally snowed under by a class of third graders. One particular time I had to leave the room for a few minutes to use the bathroom or make a quick copy so I left dad in charge. When I returned literally in less that 5 minutes, the class was wild and dad looked like a matador after he had faced the bull, but he still returned the next week under the stipulating that I never leave the room again! Each new school year, dad would ask me to take pictures of my new students so he could practice their names. My students began to look forward to Mr. Pete’s weekly visits. I honestly don’t know if I will ever fully grasp dad’s impact on this world. I also have no idea HOW he did it. What I do know is that my dad was authentic and 100% himself my entire life. In doing this he was always humble, kind, and open-minded, learning, caring, growing, and living. What I now know for certain is that my admiration for my dad was not a unique sentiment I felt. Since his death, I have been blown away by the number of people throughout his entire life who admired my dad. Quite honestly, I was a little upset that I had not seen it so clearly when he was alive but that’s exactly what makes him so authentic. Praise wasn’t something he sought. He did the things he did because he felt they were the right things to do. His moral compass was forever stuck in the position of doing what was best for others. Since so many of you knew him as a great person I thought I would share a little bit of what you may not know. My dad was an amazing dad. He was not perfect, but what always authentic in this capacity as well. He put so much into being a great dad. I look back at pictures from my earliest years and I see a man ecstatic to be a dad, my dad. He was goofy and would put my tights on his head to emulate a rabbit as he read Peter Rabbit to me. He learned everything there was to know about coaching soccer because I needed someone to coach my first team. He was so creative, even if all of his creations were not a success (like green beans and peanut butter). He made mistakes but he always owned them and taught me to do the same. He was always teaching me without me even realizing I was learning. And he could do this because his enthusiasm for whatever the topic was was contagious. I hope learning continues to be contagious for the rest of my life! That will be one way I hold onto my dad! – Amy Crow