Henry Ellis Crum, Jr., 82, Vienna, passed from this life Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at his residence.
He was born Feb. 24, 1943, son of the late Henry Ellis and Dolla Mae (Wagner) Crum, Sr., at Vienna.
He was united in marriage to the former Ms. Shirley Kay Hollis June 6, 1970, at Lambeth Church in rural Maries County and to this union three sons were born.
Junior was a member of the First Baptist Church in Vienna, where he was the head deacon, a founding member of the Optimist Club of Vienna, and was a volunteer firefighter with the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, helping in the early stages of the fire department.
In his younger years, he began working at the Langenberg Hat Factory while still in high school. About three years out of high school, Junior quit the hat factory and went to the woods to cut cordwood for about two years. Next, he went into the construction industry and eventually became the foreman on the project that built the south wing on the elementary school in the late 1960s including the current cafeteria and the classrooms above at Maries R-1 Schools.
In 1972, Junior started working at the Western Auto for his sister-in-law and nephew. In 1976 he bought the Western Auto from Marie and Joe Clay Crum which he owned and operated until the company went out of business in 2003 at which time the store became Shirley’s Furniture & Jr’s Hardware also owned and operated by him until his death.
Junior was preceded in death by parents, Henry, Sr. and Dolla Mae; in-laws, Raymond and Selma; siblings, Joseph Columbus Crum, infant Nora Elizabeth Crum, Rosie Ellen Juanita Davis and Robert Cellis Alfred Crum; sisters-in-law, Louisa Marie (Frey) Crum, Edith Rosanna (Frederickson) Crum, infant Virginia LuEllen Hollis and Wanda May Hollis; brothers-in-law, George Johnson Davis, Sr., Norman Lawrence “Sonny” Hollis and William Kenneth “Kenny” Hollis; and nephews, Joseph “Joe” Clay Crum and Henry Hardin Davis.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Shirley of the home in Vienna; sons, Craig Crum and Jason Crum and wife Jessica, all of Vienna and Travis Crum and wife Stacey of Centralia; grandchildren, Eli, Drew, Trinity and Lillie Mae Crum, Parker Qualls and wife Nicole, Kaitlyn Matthiesen and husband Dalton and Grant Qualls and fiancé Caitlyn; four great-grandchildren with one on the way in January; and many other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 23, all in the First Baptist Church located at 1004 S Highway 63 in Vienna, with Pastor Chris Cook and Pastor Robert Crum officiating.
Inurnment will be in the Little Flock Cemetery inVienna. Honorary Pallbearers will be the grandchildren.
Memorial contributions suggested to the Little Flock Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund, with envelopes available at the church on the day of the memorial service or in care of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri 65582.
Arrangements entrusted to Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home in Vienna.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.birminghammartinfuneralhomes.com
