Gaybrooke Garrett Crittenden passed away on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022 with her husband, Tom, by her side.
She was born in Hardyville in 1931 and raised by her aunt and uncle, Ethel and Charles Christopher, in Deltaville. She married her high school sweetheart, Tom Crittenden, in 1952 and moved from Hardyville to Newport News, where they raised three children. In 1993, they retired to Morehead City, N.C., then eventually returned to Newport News where they resided at The Chesapeake Retirement Community.
An avid reader since childhood, Gaybrooke was passionate about literacy, especially in young children, and discovered her love for teaching them as a Sunday school teacher. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mary Washington College in 1952, and a master’s degree in Education at Old Dominion University in 1979, and had a long and fulfilling career as an elementary teacher and Title 1 reading specialist at Hidenwood, Hilton, Saunders and Watkins Elementary schools in Newport News.
So many remember her fondly for her famous sweet pickles, “grandma rolls” and countless loaves of pumpkin bread, banana nut bread, cranberry bread and more, sharing generously with friends, family and newcomers to churches and communities. She was a member of North Riverside Baptist Church in Newport News, St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Morehead City, N.C., and Chestnut Memorial United Methodist Church in Newport News.
Gaybrooke was preceded in death by her aunt and uncle; sisters, Drue Clark and Mary Clay; son, Richard Crittenden; and granddaughter, Erin Shook.
She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Tom Crittenden; daughter, Debra Cantrell (Keith) of Scottsdale, Ariz.; son, Rob Crittenden (Beth) of Seattle, Wash.; and daughter-in-law, Jean Marie Crittenden of Greer, S.C.
She was “Nana” to grandchildren, Thomas Cantrell (Alicia) of Kenmore, Wash., Meredith Min (Warren) of South Pasadena, Calif., Michael Crittenden (Nancy) of Greer, S.C., Katie Morris (Brandon) of Seattle, Wash., and Matt Crittenden of Burien, Wash.; as well as 12 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Richard Crittenden School, through Haiti Education Foundation, https://haitifoundation.org. Alternately, donations may be sent to the American Heart Association or the Chesapeake Benevolence Fund.
A celebration of life will be conducted at a later date.
