Obituary of Robbie Crawford Willrich

Robbie Jane Crawford Willrich, 75, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her daughters on Monday, July 8, 2024. 

Robbie was born on November 11, 1948, in Cotulla, Texas, but spent most of her young life in the Washington, D.C. area and Topeka, Kansas.  Her family moved to Houston, Texas when she was a teenager, and she graduated from Bellaire High School in 1966.  She attended the University of Houston, where she studied Business Administration, until she literally married the boy next door, Louis Otto “Pete” Willrich III, in June of 1969.  She and Pete were married for nearly 40 years, until his death in 2007.

She was a Human Resources professional and worked for Target for a number of years, as well as Oshman’s Sporting Goods, Wolfe Nursery, Carriage Services, and Money Management International.  She retired in 2012 after undergoing a lung transplant.  She will be remembered for her strength, her intelligence, and her amazing memory, particularly regarding college football trivia.  She loved reading, the Texas hill country, cooking, watching sports, fishing, history, and her beloved dog, Pumpkin. 

Robbie was preceded in death by her husband Pete, her mother Jimmie Jane Crawford, her father Robert Bruce Crawford, Sr., and her brother George Wallace Crawford. 

She is survived by her three daughters:  Stephanie Ann Willrich Pennell (Kevin), Heather Jane Willrich, Ashley Elizabeth Willrich (David); her grandchildren Lauren, Elizabeth, and Charles Pennell, and Peter Willrich; her brother, Robert Bruce Crawford, Jr. (Joyce) and her sister, Cynthia Ann Crawford (Marc Corporon); her numerous brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. 

A viewing and visitation will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at Joseph J. Earthman Generations, 234 Westcott Street, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., followed by her interment at Forest Park Lawndale, 6900 Lawndale, at 2:00 p.m. 

We are especially grateful to Sahara Hospice Care and nurse Samson Mathew for the extraordinary care they gave our mother. Should you desire to donate in Robbie’s memory, donations can be made to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center or the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.