Crabtree, Robert Jewell

5-13-2021

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Robert Jewell Crabtree, 87, was born on June 7, 1933, in Bethany, MO, to Robert and Golda Crabtree and passed away on May 13, 2021.  He received his bachelor's degree in soil science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1959.  He completed the master's degree at Iowa State University in 1965, and his Ph.D. at Michigan State University in 1969.  He and Beverly Deles Denier met in Columbia as undergraduates and were married on June 1, 1958.  Jewell began his career as a soil science field researcher a the University of Missouri Southwest Missouri Research Center.  Later, he served as an instructor at MSU, an assistant professor at Central Missouri State University, and an associate professor at Oklahoma State University where he taught for 15 years until retiring in 1990.  During his career, he belonged to numerous professional, honorary, and local civic organizations.  Jewell was proceeded in death by his wife, Beverly, his parents, brothers Jerry, Jack, and Cecil and sister Betty.  He is survived by his son, Greg (Ursula), daughter Karen Kunkel (Allen), his sister, Jaynell Schroff (Don), brothers and sisters-inlaw Paul and Marilyn Hunger and Leroy and Ruth Deles Dernier as well as several nieces and nephews.