Christopher Michael Denis Crowder, Professor Emeritus in the Department of History, Queen’s University, Kingston.
On Friday, February 11, in the Intensive Care Unit at Kingston General Hospital, aged 88.
The third son of Bertram and Marion Crowder, Chris was born in Weybridge, Surrey, England. In 1951, he married Adele Jeffares and their children are Eleanor (Bernd Esche), Adrienne, and Danby (Suzanne Biro). His grandchildren are Niall and Ben Filewod, Leo Cruz Crowder, Lillian and Willa Crowder, Martin Esche and Ella Crook.
Chris was educated at a preparatory school in Amesbury and at Haileybury, where he excelled at both academics and athletics. At Haileybury, he became Head of the School and Captain of the senior Rugby Fifteen. He won a history scholarship to Merton College, Oxford (a Postmastership) in 1941. He was commissioned into the 83rd Regiment of Field Artillery in 1943 where he served as the regimental Survey Officer in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Before demobilization he trained as a pilot, to work as an Air Observation Post.
After WWII, he returned to Merton College and finished a First Class degree specializing in Mediaeval History. His postgraduate studies were also based in Merton College, under the supervision of Dr. E. Jacobs, where his research focused on the English Nation at the Council of Constance. His doctoral thesis has recently been described as the best English language reference on this topic.
In 1950, Chris accepted a position as a history lecturer at King’s College in Aberdeen University, and in 1953, he joined the faculty of The Queen’s University in Belfast as Lecturer in Palaeography and Diplomatic. In 1966, he came to Queen’s University in Kingston, teaching and researching there until retirement. Post retirement, he continued to teach at the Herstmonceux campus of Queen’s University in Sussex, England. He published several books, including “Unity, Heresy and Reform 1378 – 1460: The Conciliar Response to the Great Schism”, and articles in French, German and English journals.
In his personal life, Chris was a committed Christian. His strong faith was expressed in many ways. As a young man, he spent a year studying theology at Wells Seminary. Throughout his life, he gave much of his time and resources to the community, actively supporting a variety of charities and individuals. He was the President of the Board of the John Howard Society in Kingston and a regular prison visitor.
With his family and friends, Chris enjoyed nothing more than entertaining, particularly in the setting of his summer home in Ledenon, Languedoc, France and at his Wilton, ON farm. Chris will be fondly remembered by all those who knew him as a steadfast, reliable and generous man. The care with which he tended to his family and guests expressed the deepfelt sense of duty and concern for others which characterized his life. As a husband and father, he consistently provided a steady, guiding hand, affection and humour. He was always the first to offer help, and he never failed to stay the course.
The Crowder family thanks the staff of Kidd 6 and the ICU at Kingston General Hospital for their compassion and care.
Funeral Service will be held at St. Luke's Anglican Church, Camden East on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Interment St. Luke's Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations by cheque to St. Luke's Anglican Church. Arrangements entrusted to the Wartman Funeral Home "Kingston Chapel" (980 Collins Bay Road at Taylor Kidd Blvd., Kingston ON. K7M 5H2 (613-634-3722).



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