Lori Crownover, 64, of Hollidaysburg, passed peacefully into the arms of her Savior, Jesus, whom she loved and faithfully served, on Monday, August 31, 2026.

Lori was born April 21, 1962, at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to Frank E. Creighton and Nancy J. Creighton of Altoona, Pennsylvania. From an early age and throughout her life, Lori sought to know and serve Jesus Christ. Her greatest desire was to do whatever she believed God was asking her to do and to help others know Jesus in a real and personal way that would transform their lives according to His purposes.

Lori was the beloved wife of Keith Crownover. They had been married for 43 years and had been best friends for 50 years. Their life together was marked by deep love, friendship, faith, family, and a shared commitment to serving others.

She is survived by her husband, Keith; her mother, Nancy Creighton; her sisters, Kelley Massaro (Bruce) of Altoona, Yvonne Creighton of Altoona, and Wendi Cadle (Jamie) of Arkansas; her daughters, Rachel Alden (Ryan) of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, and Abigail Crownover (Nat Fasick) of Tucson, Arizona; her son, Ben Crownover, of Tucson, Arizona; her goddaughter, Jenny Mao, of Changzhou, China; three grandsons, Caleb, Tommy, and Jackson; one granddaughter, Norah; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Frank Creighton of Altoona, and her sister, Sherri Creighton of San Antonio, Texas.

A Life of Faith and Service

Lori was a member of Altoona Alliance Church for the past 21 years, where she poured herself wholeheartedly into serving the church and the Body of Christ. Over the years, she served in countless capacities, including eight years on the board as Disciple Making Ministries Director. She also served as a small group trainer, women’s class leader, small group leader, Vacation Bible School volunteer and leader, children’s ministry worker and leader, children’s musicals director, GriefShare facilitator, ESL trainer, and leader of the Healing the Heart of the Church program.

For eight years, Lori directed the church’s adult English as a Second Language program, the Altoona English and Culture Club. She deeply loved the people she met through this ministry and had an intense desire to serve and befriend those from other countries and cultures.

Her heart for international students led her to partner with her husband and leaders from the Chinese State College Alliance Church in serving Penn State Altoona’s Chinese international students for four years through the Home of Hearts ministry.

Lori’s passion for literacy and education extended beyond her church. In the late 1990s, she volunteered with the Altoona Library adult literacy program, working with both English- and non-English-speaking students. In recognition of her years of service through ESL, she was honored as the 2025 Wise Women of Blair County Education Honoree.

At the time of her passing, Lori was nearing completion of ministry coursework as part of the ministry accreditation process through the Alliance Church Leadership Development program of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Her service was never simply a list of positions or responsibilities. Lori genuinely loved people. She wanted to know their stories, encourage them, teach them, and point them toward Christ. Her faith was woven into the way she lived and served each day.

A Passion for Teaching

Lori graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1980. In 1982, she graduated from the LPN program at Altoona Area Vocational Technical School, where she earned the highest theoretical average. She worked at Valley View Nursing Home and later in the Operating Room at Nason Hospital for five years.

She then became a stay-at-home mother and homeschooled her young children for a number of years, embracing the opportunity to invest deeply in her family.

In 2005, Lori fulfilled a lifelong dream when she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Penn State Altoona with a degree in elementary education. She went on to teach elementary students in multiple grades in the Bellwood-Antis School District.

During her final year as a classroom teacher, Lori’s fourth-grade students and fellow teachers at Myers Elementary, along with the Bellwood community, completed a fundraising effort to build a well in South Sudan named after Myers Elementary. It was a fitting reflection of Lori’s belief that education could reach far beyond the classroom and make a lasting difference in the lives of others.

Lori later earned a Master of Arts in Teaching with distinction from Marygrove College and obtained a Pennsylvania Department of Education ESL certificate.

She eventually concluded her classroom teaching career and continued her passion for education at Penn State Altoona as an adjunct instructor. For the final six years of her working career, she served as a Supervisor of Pre-Service Teachers and Instructor in Education at Penn State Altoona, supervising student teachers in Blair County schools and helping prepare the next generation of educators.

A Woman Who Loved Her Family

Above all her accomplishments, Lori treasured her family.

She deeply loved her husband, Keith, her children, and her grandchildren. She delighted in spending time with her grandchildren, making cookies with them, reading with them, and talking with them about the Jesus she loved.

She loved books, Scripture, flower gardening, walking, hiking, and biking. She especially enjoyed visiting state and national parks, with Canoe Creek State Park and Rails to Trails among her favorite places. The beauty of creation reminded her of the glory of God.

At the age of 42, Lori completed the Canoe Creek triathlon and won her age category—a testament to the determination and enthusiasm that characterized so much of her life.

Lori also loved spending significant time reading Scripture. Her faith was not merely something she professed; it shaped the way she understood her life, her relationships, her work, and her purpose.

Her life’s verse was Jeremiah 9:23-24:

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things.’”

Lori sought to live those words. She did not want her life to be remembered primarily for her accomplishments, positions, degrees, or awards. She wanted those who knew her to know the Lord she loved.

Her greatest desire was that her family and friends would know Jesus in a real, personal way—a relationship that would transform them into the people they were created and purposed to be.

Lori’s life was one of faith, service, teaching, friendship, and love. She gave generously of herself to her family, her church, her students, her community, and people from around the world. She leaves behind a legacy of lives touched through education, ministry, friendship, and an unwavering desire to follow Christ.

Though she will be deeply missed by all who loved her, those who shared her faith find comfort in knowing that Lori is now in the presence of the Savior she loved and served.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at Altoona Alliance Church, 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona, PA 16602 with Pastor Tim McGarvey officiating. A private interment will be made at New Canoe Creek Cemetery. Arrangements are by Mauk & Yates Funeral Home, Inc.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation's Altoona English and Culture Club Fund, Rails to Trails of Central Pennsylvania, or Bellwood-Antis School District Foundation.