Earl James Crow (Earl J.), 86, passed away peacefully on April 18th, 2026.

Born on April 24, 1939, in West Plains, Missouri, Earl J. built a lasting legacy in his community.

On December 4, 1958, he married the love of his life, Shirley Ann Barnes, in Salem, Arkansas. Together, they shared 67 years of marriage, building a beautiful family and a life filled with love, hard work, and unwavering devotion to one another. While they enjoyed traveling the world side-by-side, they always remained rooted in the community they built their lives together in—West Plains. A proud business owner, Earl J. spent much of his life in the automotive industry. He began working alongside his father, Earl, whose garage opened in a quonset hut in West Plains in 1938, and later carried that legacy forward through an expanded Earl’s Sales and Service. In 1982, Earl and his son Blake brought the Chrysler line of products back to West Plains, serving the community for over 8 decades. He was proud of the generations of service to the community. He was known not only for his strong work ethic but for his willingness to lend a helping hand to those in need. Earl also enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. He could often be found at the local senior center where he spent time with friends, shared stories, and enjoyed a good game at the pool hall.

Earl is survived by his wife Shirley Ann Crow; his children, Tommi Lynne Crow and Blake Adam Crow; his daughter-in-law, Janet Lynn Crow; and his grandchildren, Dakota James Crow and Dillon Wesley Crow. He also leaves behind six great-grandchildren–Jaxon, Eliza, Crosby, Fuller, Jeremiah, and Harvey–along with extended family and countless friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl Harry Crow and Helen Edith Phillips, and his sister Trudy Crow Silkwood.

He will be remembered for his quick witted humor, his compassion for others, and his unwavering dedication to his family. Earl’s legacy lives on in the lives he helped along the way.

A service will be held graveside for family and friends on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 at 11:00 am as he is laid to rest at Oak Lawn Cemetery at the corner of Simpson and Maple Street. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Earl’s memory to the Senior Center of West Plains or Boys & Girls Club of West Plains, and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 W. Main St., West Plains, Missouri.