Alice Hale Crabs' Obituary
Alice Crabs (née Hale) of Rocky River, Ohio, passed away on April 11, 2025, at the age of 96. She was born on June 28, 1928, in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, to the late Lloyd and Ida Lillie Hale.
Alice graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Art Education. Her role as the treasurer for her Delta Gamma sorority chapter inspired a lifelong interest in bookkeeping, investing, and financial management. While in college, she was introduced to her first husband, Robert (Bob) Kucera by her brother Jim, who was taking flying lessons from Bob. Alice and Bob Kucera established an aerial photography and mapping business, for which Alice managed the finances for many years. She cherished the adventure of building a professional legacy with Bob. The company they started still exists today, now known as Kucera International. Together, they also had two daughters, Jane and Kathryn.
Alice’s dedication to community service was a cornerstone of her life. As a former Girl Scout herself, she formed a troop at Mercer School for her daughters and their peers and was highly active in the PTA. She also served on the Mentor Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors for the Women’s Committee of the Cleveland Health Education Museum, highlighting her commitment to impactful causes. These interests continued during the years when Alice lived in Phoenix, AZ. She became a Trustee of the Orme School, where her daughters were high school students, joined the Phoenix Art Museum League, and served as a docent at the Phoenix Art Museum.
Though life took an unexpected turn in 1968 when she tragically lost Bob in an airplane crash, Alice's resilience carried her forward. In 1974, she reconnected with a longtime family friend and NASA engineer and test pilot, Clifford Crabs, and remarried, ushering in a new chapter. Together, she and Cliff embraced shared interests, including participation in the Western Reserve Carriage Club, The Clifton Club, and the Winterset Dance Club. Alice was also an active member of the West Side Plungers Investment Club and the Study Club. Through the years, she found joy in skiing, tennis, and golf with friends, reflecting her spirited and active nature. She also continued her aviation adventures, flying on both the Goodyear Blimp and the supersonic Concorde!
Alice is survived by her loving daughters, Jane (Andrew) Thompson and Kathryn (Paul Cousar) Kucera, and her cherished sister, Sue (Richard) Chase. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers James Hale and Herbert Hale, her sister Miriam (Vic) Schick, and her husbands, Bob Kucera and Cliff Crabs. Alice’s legacy of kindness, creativity, adventure, and enthusiasm for life will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations to The Cleveland Sight Center (formerly Cleveland Society of the Blind). https://www.clevelandsightcenter.org/content/donate-now
A graveside service will be held on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 1:00 PM at Oak Hill Cemetery, 13623 County Highway 119, Upper Sandusky, Ohio 43351. Family and friends will gather at the cemetery for the committal
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