Pam Crawford

Pamille Mary (Cottam) Crawford, 90, passed away on May 8, 2021, at Pondera Medical Center Extended Care Unit.

Her memorial service will be held Thursday, May 20, at 2:00 p.m. at Pondera Valley Lutheran Church in Conrad.  A private family burial will precede the service.

Pam was born April 16, 1931, in Havre, the only child of Hugh and Trudy Cottam.  She moved eleven times with her parents during her childhood years, settling in Hardin before her 8th grade year, and graduated from Hardin High School in 1949.  She attended the first Montana American Legion Auxiliary Girls State in 1948 and was elected Lt. Governor.  She attended MSU in Bozeman for two years and was a proud member of Chi Omega and MSU Spurs.  She married Don Hammer in 1951.  Pam and Don moved to Conrad in 1953, raised four daughters, and then Pam returned to finish her college education at the College of Great Falls when the girls were in junior high.  Pam taught 2nd grade at Meadowlark School for nine years.  In 1978 she found true happiness and married the love of her life, Elmer Crawford.   Pam became a farm wife and her learning began all over again.  She enjoyed every day on the farm with Elmer.

Pam and Elmer moved into town in 1992. Pam was a caregiver to her mother and her mother-in-law.  She was a member of Peace Hospice, Pondera Valley Lutheran Church, and the Conrad election board.  She subbed in the elementary schools and at local Hutterite colonies.   Because of her volunteerism in the community, Pam was recognized in 2012 with the Unsung Hero Award by the Conrad Chamber of Commerce.

Survivors include her husband, Elmer; her four daughters, Susan (Ben) Schmitt of Bozeman, Marcia (Tom) Hanley of Conrad, Janie (John) McFarland of Conrad/Missoula, Laurie (Roger) Czech of Townsend; stepdaughters, Penny (Andy) Jariabka of California and Linda Crawford of Kalispell; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, James Hugh Hammer; and her adopted son, David Scott Hammer.

Memorials are suggested to Conrad Scholars.