Obituaries

Click here to watch the service.

Barbara Ann (Crooks) Jackson was born to Mary Belle and Kent Crooks
on August 18, 1932, in Aspinwall (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania. She passed
away on April 17, 2025, in Westlake, Ohio. Barbara’s parents encouraged
Barbara at the age of 3 to begin learning the piano and indulging in the
gift of music. Barbara continued to pursue her love of music and piano by
attending the music conservatory at Oberlin College, where she received
her Bachelors of Music. She enjoyed the creative atmosphere on campus.
Barbara met her husband, Jim, on a blind date when her room
-mate at
Oberlin College was dating one of Jim’s friends. They were married in 1955
after graduating from their respective colleges.
Upon marrying, Barbara and Jim moved to Columbus, Ohio, and they
each began their careers. Barbara was a music teacher in a public
school where she shared her passion and skill in music. In 1957, when
David came along, she chose to stay at home with him; Susan and Nancy
came along in 1959 and 1961 respectively.
Barbara began teaching piano lessons in her home to share her talent
and encourage different age groups to love music. She continued to play
the piano for her own enjoyment and for others and accompanied
numerous musicians and music groups over the years. She was involved
with and played for several Musical Arts groups when she and Jim lived in
Dallas, Texas. As a long
-time member of Canyon Creek Presbyterian
Church in Richardson, Texas, she also sang in the choir for years with Jim
and volunteered in several music ministries to accompany a group or
arrange a piece of music. Barbara continued to challenge herself
musically well into her upper 80s by learning a difficult piece of music. She
offered her musical gift in the independent living facility where she most
recently lived in Westlake, Ohio, by playing for the weekly on
-site Catholic
Mass. She played for them within weeks of her death.
Barbara was a deep thinker and found her music to be a spiritual
experience. She said it made her feel closer to God. She was private
about her faith but on occasion would share deep insights about her view
of God in her and others’ life.
Though music perhaps Barbara’s main passion, she was also gifted at
sewing, quilting, and stained glass. She was unafraid of trying new
avenues to express and challenge herself. However, she was a
perfectionist so was not always happy with what she created. Family
members and friends have been blessed over the years with many of her
creations.
Barbara will be remembered and missed for generously sharing her
creative gifts for the joy of others as well as for her kind and sensitive spirit.
She is survived by her three children, David (Joan) Jackson, Susan (Chuck)
Rozek, and Nancy (Paul) Davis, along with three grandchildren and seven
great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Mary Belle
and Kent Crooks, and her sister, Beverly Stahly.

Richard W. Furlong, PhD.
March 30, 1929 – April 25, 2025

Richard W. Furlong, a devoted educator, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at Highland Springs in Dallas, Texas. He was 96 years old.

Born on March 30, 1929, in Norwalk, Ohio, Richard pursued a lifelong passion for learning and teaching. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas where he went on to teach Structures for an incredible 51 years, from 1958 to 2009. Through his dedication, he inspired and mentored hundreds of students, leaving a lasting impact on the field and the many lives he touched.

Richard is survived by his loving wife, Helen C. Furlong; his son, John N. Furlong, and daughter-in-law, Betty Lou Furlong; his grandchildren, Carrie Marie Little and Brian Furlong his wife, Lexi, and his five cherished great-grandchildren, Caroline Little, Olivia Little, Emma Furlong, Luke Furlong, and Harvey Furlong. He is also survived by his younger brother, Norman Burr Furlong, Jr., and wife Cynthia and many other relatives across the United States.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Richard found joy in playing golf, engaging in bridge games, watching movies and traveling. However, nothing brought him more happiness than spending time with his family, especially during the holidays, when he enjoyed every gathering.

A service to celebrate Richard’s life will be held at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church, in Richardson, TX, on May 3, 2025 at 11 AM.

Richard W. Furlong’s legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. His wisdom, kindness, and unwavering dedication to education and family will be deeply missed.

You can watch the service here.

Mary grew up in Upper Montclair, New Jersey with her parents and brother. Her father was the minister at The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair and they lived in the parsonage on the church property. Mary graduated from Westminster College in Pennsylvania where she received a bachelor’s degree in education and was a member of the Theta Sigma Omicron sorority. She began teaching in an elementary school in New Jersey the fall of 1953 and taught there until 1956. She married Frank Legge on June 25, 1955.  Together, they had four children. The family moved to Richardson, Texas in 1971. Though their relationship was not permanent, Mary and Frank remained friends. 

Mary began teaching again in the fall of 1976 at Callier School for the Deaf and Blind through UTD, where she worked with physically and intellectually disabled children. She then taught elementary school in Princeton Texas, followed by Roundtree Elementary and Reed Elementary in Allen Independent School District. During her career in Allen, she taught special education and third grade. She obtained a Master of Science in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders at the University of Texas at Dallas. She was also a member of several organizations including American Business Women’s Association and Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa. Using her education and skills, she had significant impact on many students and families. She loved her students and their families and remained in contact with many of them throughout her life.

She retired from teaching in the spring of 1996. After retirement, she turned her energy to her grandchildren and to charity work. She loved having her grandchildren with her. Every New Year’s Eve, all the grandchildren would have a sleep over at Grandma’s house while the parents celebrated the New Year. She also had a passion for charity. Her most notable volunteer activities were with Family Outreach in Richardson. She served many families that needed help. She was able to utilize her skills as a teacher in many of these cases. 

She was very involved with her church family at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church. She was appointed as a deacon in 2002. She expressed her love for her relationships in this congregation frequently. Her friends at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church continued to encourage and visit her up to her passing.

Mary is preceded in death by her mother and father Joseph C. Dickson and Bertha Dickson and brother Joseph C. Dickson II. She is survived by her former spouse Frank Legge (Gaynor) of Dallas, daughter Ellen Garfield of Fort Worth, daughter Karen Howarton (Doak) of Greenville, son Eric Legge of Grapevine, and daughter Nancy Brown (Jeff) of Murphy; and grandchildren Tiffany McGlothlin (Todd), Jennifer Garfield (Kyle), Amber Burroughs (Chris), Jessica Tepp (Sean), Melissa Stivers (Eddie), Katie Prutsman (Tristan), Nicole Brown, Cody Brown (Gabbie), Easton Legge, Joshua Legge, and Hannah Howarton; and great grandchildren Gracie Sutphin, Faith Sutphin, Penny Burroughs, Jackson Stivers, Audrey Stivers, Salem Howarton, and Elijah Brown; and nieces and nephew Jean Anne Rose, Patty Rosinski, Mary Jane Trainor, Craig Dickson, and Jenny Fletcher. All whom she loved dearly.

Her ashes were interred on Good Friday, April 18, 2025 at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair New Jersey where she was laid to rest with her mother, father and brother.

A celebration of life will be held at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson, Texas on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 11am. Click here to view the livestream of the service.

Pauline (Polly) Malone Kerr
July 8, 1921—March 28, 2025

Click here to view the livestream of this service.

Polly was born and raised in Washington Township, along the Ohio River.  She was a member of the “Great Generation” a child of the Great Depression and a young woman through WWII.  This was very evident from the strength, resilience and independence of her character.

After graduating as valedictorian from Matamoros High School, she left small town life behind to attend the prestigious Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in New York City.  She worked in New York throughout the war.

She was an intrepid traveler, touring Mexico with her sister, Kit, in a Woodie station wagon and moving to Honolulu in the immediate post-war years.  After accepting a position with Aramco Oil in Saudi Arabia, she met and married a young petroleum engineer, Jim Kerr.  They married in Cairo in 1950.  As his wife she made homes for Jim and their children in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Long Island, New York, Abquiq, Saudi Arabia and Trinidad.  In 1962 Jim joined Mobil Oil and the family settled in Louisiana, first in Lafayette and then in New Orleans.  In 1980, Jim accepted another overseas post and they spent 2 years in Cameroon. 

Polly was a devoted mother and will be deeply missed by her four children; Diana Osborn (Roger), Robin Burnette (Mike), Amy Nezat (David), James Kerr (Jennifer); her grandchildren, Jessica Becker (Brent),  Will Osborn (Andrea),  James Nezat (Teresa), Ian Burnette (Sarah), Emerson Kerr, Lauren Kerr, Marshall Kerr; and her great grandchildren, Simon, Walter and Alice Becker, Blaise Burnette and Lincoln Osborn.

Polly was a lifelong Presbyterian and was a member of Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church for the past 41 years.  A celebration of her life will be held there on April 12 at 4 pm. The service will be livestreamed here: https://youtube.com/live/pFiPcHZ3DFU?feature=share

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the North Texas Food Bank.