By Ben Cox
I don’t know of anyone who did not know Guy Crumley, either through MacMurray College or through education somehow in Jacksonville. Mr. Crumley passed away surrounded by his loved ones on Friday, August 15, leaving behind a legacy of giving through his passion of teaching and his passion for individuals.
Mr. Crumley was a 1964 graduate of Orchard Park High School in New York, and like many East Coast students of that era, he came to Jacksonville’s MacMurray College. He earned his Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education from the prestigious MacMurray teacher education program in 1969. He decided to stay in the area, going to Western Illinois University to complete a masters in educational administration in just a few short years. It’s here in Jacksonville in the early 1970s that Mr. Crumley would lay the foundation of his career that would carry him through the rest of his life either in the classroom or in the community.
He was an educator at Lafayette and Eisenhower elementary schools in Jacksonville before joining the faculty of MacMurray College in January 1982 as an assistant professor in education. He encountered countless future teachers and inspired many students to go on and find the very best in themselves and in their own future respective students. In 1992, Mr. Crumley was presented with the United Methodist Award for teaching excellence. During his tenure, he was recognized in Who’s Who of American Teachers. I remember Mr. Crumley leading the Mac T’s, a tutoring program for elementary school students. Following retirement, he was named Professor Emeritus for devotion toward MacMurray College. Guy Crumley’s son, David, was a few class years ahead of me and continued on his father’s legacy as a MacMurray College graduate.
Mr. Crumley’s work wasn’t just at the college. He was also a well-known and beloved Jacksonville community figure. He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, a member of both Jaycees and Prairieland United Way, and was a board member of Jacksonville Area Center for Independent Living. He was also a Jacksonville Rotary Paul Harris Award recipient and served on the Jacksonville Commission for Disabilities and Human Relations, and had just been re-appointed to serve another term on that commission prior to his passing.
The MacMurray College Foundation and Alumni Association has had a tough year and Guy Crumley’s passing so close to the reunion was a sad bit of news. MacMurray alumni also lost another pillar of its education program somewhat recently when Rich Laren, the “Kilt Guy,” passed away in mid-December 2024. A scholarship has been set up in Laren’s name to honor his ongoing legacy.
May their memories be a blessing. Hail to MacMurray.
