Remembering Joe Crowley

The last time we sat down with Joe Crowley was April 2016. Erin Breen interviewed Crowley about his poetry, something that he has worked on his entire life.

"There is significant amount of autobiographical material," Joe said. 

What a biography it is. 

Joe was born on July 9, 1933 in Iowa. In 1966, Joe joined the University of Nevada, Reno as a faculty member in political science. In 1978 he was appointed University of Nevada, Reno President. It was a position he would hold until July 2001. 

Some highlights of those 23 years include breaking ground of Lawlor Events Center in 1981, welcomed President Ronald Reagan in 1982, and so much more. 

Even though he retired as President in 2001, his legacy lives on here at the Joe Crowley Student Union which opened in 2007. After retirement, he returned to the university to teach on a part-time basis. In recent years,  he co-founded sierra wellness connection, which began as a medical marijuana dispensary in Reno.

"In nine years you can write a lot of poems," he told us last year when he published his first poetry book

"This is where I put all of the poems Joe wrote me when we were dating," said his wife Joy. "Actually,  this is his proposal of marriage right here."

They married in 1961. Joy was forever by his side, through all of Joe's work... not in poetry... but life. 

"Poets are forever editing their work and I am no exception." 

Joe leaves behind Joy, four children, and seven grandchildren. His daughter, Theresa Crowley tells us that services for Joe will be in early January, and will be open to the public. 

For an extensive look at Joe's work at the University of Nevada, Reno, click here. 

(The University of Nevada, Reno contributed to this report.)