Merriella Crowell

Merriella Sharné Crowell was born in Denver, CO on November 26, 1957 to her parents MariPatricia Mimms and William Jackson. She was the second child of 4. Her mother, MariPatricia, and grandparents, Willis and Arnette Erwin, raised her with her two younger brothers, Jon and Troy. She also reunited and developed a close bond with her older brother Audwin, as she got older. Audwin, as a child, was living in a different state. As the second oldest, and only daughter, her mother and grandmother raised her to be a strong leader and role model, to her siblings, at home and in the community. Growing up, she spent a lot of time with her brothers, her mother, and grandparents either at home, out in the community or taking road trips in the family RV. She had a very warm and outgoing personality, and loved listening to music and dancing with both her family and wide diversity of friends. Merriella received her early education in the Adams County School District where she graduated from Adams City High School in 1975. She was involved in various activities that included Track, Pep Club, FBLA and BSA. She furthered her education by attending the University Of Colorado, studying Business Administration and Finance. She later attended the Community College of Denver studying Programming Language and Computer Science, and then to Phillips Junior College in California, where she earned an Associates degree in Computerized Accounting. Merriella united in holy matrimony to Ronald Martin Crowell on September 19, 1981 in Denver, CO. To this union, her only child, Geoffrey Sean Crowell was born. Years later, she met Webb Harvell, III, and together, they developed a long-term relationship for 27 years. To that result, she had a large addition of extended family that included Sisters, Daughters, Sons, Grandchildren, and a large number of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Merriella was very active and a hard worker. She always demonstrated leadership, influence, compassion, focus, and performed her duties with a spirit of excellence. She started her professional career working as a data analyst at Sefel Geophysical, an oil and gas corporation in the late 1970s. In the 1980s, she explored a different profession going into Retail Sales, and worked for The Limited Corporation as a District Store Manager for numerous retail stores specializing in women's apparel. Being one of the only African American women at the management level, she had achieved great success working in the field, receiving numerous awards for managing the corporation's top ranked retail stores in the country. After leaving that profession at the start of the 90s, she then found her true calling in the field of Marketing and Office Administration. In 1991 she became the Chief Operating Officer for California Color, a printing company based in Fresno, California. In 1993, she worked as the Office Manager for Cactus Communications, a successful Marketing and Advertising Agency based in Denver, CO. After working at Cactus she discovered her true fit working in the field of Theatre. She spent a large number of years at Denver Center For the Performing Arts working as the Marketing Production Manager. While working at DCPA, she was actively involved with the company inside and out. She worked closely with the Administration, Staff, Educators and Performers, contributing everything she could in helping the company's success. In addition, she worked very hard with the initiative of increasing the involvement and participation of the African American community with Theatre and with the DCPA. She did that from working closely with Denver Black Community leaders and being actively involved with various organizations. The company received a Tony Award during her time there. When her time ended at the DCPA, she answered another call to service and became the Administrator and Program Director for the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce, which at the time was run by Former Denver Mayor and family member, Wellington E. Webb. While there, she helped work on all of the events and helped handle the daily operations of the company. After her time at the CBCC, she started her own company called Brainiantics, LLC, which specialized in Consulting and helping businesses with their administrative organizing and bookkeeping. She did that for the remainder of her life. Outside of her regular jobs, she worked as a Board Member for various Denver-based corporations, such as Shadow Theatre Company, Downtown Denver Partnership, Center for Workforce Education and Employment (CWEE), and PHAMALy, Inc. She worked as a freelance writer for Denver-based publications, including In the Black Magazine. She helped work election campaigns for numerous Colorado Politicians. She also volunteered her time, and helped organize events with various organizations, such as the Mountain Region Black Economic Summit, the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, the Jones Library at the DCPA, the Epworth Foundation, Denver Black Pages, Urban League of Metropolitan Denver, African American Leadership Institute ULF/Chamber Connect, and many others. A woman of faith and belief in the Lord, Merriella was an active member of Cleaves Memorial CME church with the rest of her family for a lot of years. She was involved in various church activities, including singing in the Choir. She was a member of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World (I.B.P.O.E.W.). Being a third generation member, she developed a lot of leadership skills from the influence of her mother and grandparents, who were Past Grand Exalted and Daughter Rulers. She was actively involved in the organization from the youth dept as a child to being an active Temple Daughter. Merriella loved so many things. She absolutely loved listening to Music and Dancing. She would go to the record store every week to buy the latest music. She loved decorating her house. She loved going to the thrift store. She loved plants and gardening. She loved watching football and the Denver Broncos. She loved watching Movies and Reality TV. She loved going to Central City and Las Vegas playing slots and poker. She also loved sewing, painting ceramics, and playing games on her phone and computer. The ultimate thing she loved more than anything in this world was her son, Geoffrey. Since he was born, he was all she talked about. She was excited about everything he did, or was involved in his whole life. She always referred to him as "her World" or "her Crowning Achievement," and she made sure she was a part of everything he had going on, no matter how busy she was with work or anything else. Merriella, very much like her mother, was Sweet, Caring, Dependable, Proud, Colorful, Happy, Organized, Loyal, and very Humble. She cared for so many people. She would touch so many hearts simply by her outgoing personality, sense of humor, and great smile. She was a great leader and role model, to her family, friends, co-workers, and all loved ones who were blessed to know her. She was the lifeline and heartbeat of her whole family, always being there for them and making sure everybody was taken care of. In her last years, Merriella developed a numerous amount of health complications. Despite what was happening to her, she continued to be herself, stay active and live life like she wanted. Merriella Sharné Crowell departed this life to the embrace of the lord on May 1, 2016 in Denver, CO, with her son by her side. Those left to cherish her memory and mourn her loss include her son, Geoffrey S. Crowell, of Commerce City, CO; 3 brothers, Audwin J. Mosby of Orange County, CA, Jon E. Rhodes and Kevin T. Rhodes, both of Commerce City, CO; A large extended family, that includes Sisters, Daughters, Sons, Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and an extreme host of many friends and loved ones. Merriella Sharné Crowell will be missed by all who knew her, but God loved her best. Now she is present with the Lord.

Funeral Home: Pipkin Braswell Funerals and Cremation - 2050 Uinta Street, Denver, Colorado
Visitation: 5/12/2016 at 2:00 PM - New Hope Ministries - 875 South Sheridan Blvd Lakewood, CO
Visitation: 5/11/2016 at 4:00 PM - Pipkin Braswell Chapel of Peace - 6601 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO
Service: 5/12/2016 at 5:00 PM - New Hope Ministries - 875 South Sheridan Blvd Lakewood, CO