Louise (Perkins) Gebelein Crawford of South Dartmouth, anentrepreneur, gardener, and sports enthusiast, died Wednesday at herhome. She was 82.
Mrs. Crawford was born and reared in South Dartmouth. A 1939graduate of Concord Academy, she received an associate's degree fromErskine College in Boston in 1941. From the mid-1940s until 1954, shewas an office manager at Shepley, Bullfinch, Richardson and Abbott inBoston.
Mrs. Crawford lived in Grafton from 1954 through 1997, when shereturned to South Dartmouth. She founded and operated two businessesfrom home, Landscape Consulting and Design and OpportunitiesUnlimited, an employment consultancy. She also worked for GebeleinSilversmiths in Boston.
'She was very accomplished in many ways,' said her daughter, AnnaGebelein Keegan of Lunenburg.
From 1967 to 1980, she was director of athletics at the BancroftSchool in Worcester, where she also taught physical education.
In 1954, she married George Christian Gebelein Jr. He died in1967. In 1982 she married Bruce Crawford.
Mrs. Crawford was a member of the board of directors of St.Aidan's Chapel in South Dartmouth. She was a member of the PlannedParenthood League of Massachusetts, a past president of the GraftonGarden Club, and a member of the Garden Club of Buzzards Bay. She wasa member and served as a judge of the Garden Club of America, waspresident of the Grafton Tennis Club, and was a judge for the NewEngland Flower Show. She was also the founder of the Association ofIndependent Schools Girls' Athletics.
'She was very athletic and played tennis up until two years ago,'said Keegan. 'She was very energetic and exuberant and had anamazingly positive, upbeat attitude.'
According to her daughter, Mrs. Crawford enjoyed gardening, flowerarranging, and outdoor activities. 'She was constantly involved andat the end of her life she was doing what she was passionate aboutmost.'
In addition to her husband and daughter, Mrs. Crawford leavesanother daughter, Louisa Gebelein Jones of Pomfret, Conn.; a son,George C. Gebelein III of Walpole; two sisters, Anne P. Mitchell ofSt. Augustine, Fla., and Elizabeth P. Moseley of Hamilton; twobrothers, John A. Perkins of Concord and James W. Perkin ofCambridge; and 10 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held today at 1 p.m. in theCongregational Church of South Dartmouth. Burial will be at a laterdate.