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Obituary of Erroll P. Crowl (1990)



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  • Title Obituary of Erroll P. Crowl (1990) 
    Short Title Obituary of Erroll P. Crowl 
    Publisher Worcester, Massachusetts: The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 21 March 1990 
    Source ID S1299 
    Text ATHOL - Erroll P. "Putt" Crowl, 92, of 154 Crescent St., a past president of the American Society of Piano Technicians, died Monday in Athol Memorial Hospital.

    He leaves three daughters; Marion Deegan, of Orange, Sylvia Lawson, of Lewisville, Texas and Nyca Hall of Westerly, R.I.; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was born in New Salem, son of Walter T. and Flora H. (Crafts) Crowl and lived here 50 years.

    In 1923 he married the former Mary L. Neylon of Barre.

    Crowl became president of the society in 1958 when he and John Travis founded the Piano Technicians Guild. In the years following, he formed the Crowl and Jellen Piano Co., designing and building pianos. In 1983, the Piano Tuners Guild elected him to its Hall of Fame.

    In an Athol Daily News interview a few years ago, Crowl, stating he was "too lazy to retire," recalled the beginnings of his career as a piano tuner in 1918 when he was a member of Clarence Goodnow's Orchestra in Orange. He recalled driving to Boston on Saturdays for lessons.

    In the 1920s he began a career tuning pianos and studied at the Faust School of Tuning and Service affiliated with the New England Conservatory of Music. He also studied piano making with Charles Frederick Stein, world famous designer of pianos. After receiving his diploma he worked for the Ivers and Pond Piano Factory in Cambridge.

    He tuned pianos for many performers in area towns and for many years was tuner for the Pioneer Symphony Orchestra.

    He began his musical career, which lasted more than seven decades, playing for silent movies in North Dana and Athol. Crowl also played piano for dances with Goodnow's, Bryant's and Perley's Orchestras. He was also manager of and saxophone player with the Orange Community Band, formerly the Minute Tapioca Band.

    He also had been an assessor for the town of Orange and he worked as a press operator for the former Enterprise & Journal in Orange, and as an automotive mechanic.

    A committal service will be held at the convenience of the family in the spring at North New Salem Cemetery. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the American Heart Association, 23 Midstate Drive, Auburn. The Fiske Funeral Home, 1356 Main St., is directing arrangements. 
    Linked to (1) Erroll Putman Crowl