Photo by Kyle de Vre
From the book "See You Next Tuesday."
Republished with permission
Information via the EVG inbox...
John R. Crellin, 75, died peacefully on Nov. 25, 2023.
John spent his childhood in Spencertown, N.Y., and on Queechy Lake in Canaan, N.Y. He earned a history degree from Colgate University (class of 1970) and an architecture degree from Pratt Institute.
"Architect John" was a devout resident of the East Village. He was on the board of the Howl Festival and enjoyed the local community and culture. He was a regular at Sophie's and enjoyed socializing at The Grafton and St. Dymphna's.
In earlier years, he delighted in King Tut's Wah Wah Hut at Seventh and A (now Niagara), and he and his wife Wendy (who met at the Wah Wah Hut) were married at Life Cafe at 10th and B.
Equal parts architect and artist, John was a lifelong creator and inventor. He loved building homemade double-decker motorized rafts ("Queechy Queens”), photographing "memories of old buildings" and cracked pavers, and creating shrines and 3D photographs. John always participated in The Howl Festival's "Art Around the Park," painting murals yearly.
In his professional career, he practiced architecture with several firms in New York City, including Kohn Pederson Fox, Hardy Holtzman Pfeiffer Associates, and Agrest & Gandelsonas.
Among his many projects, he contributed to the design of the Melrose Community Center in the Bronx and the renovations of the Plaza Hotel and the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
John was the beloved father to Madeleine Hoog-Crellin, Juliette Crellin, and Lilly Crellin, and grandfather to Josephine and Caroline Crawford (Mady's girls) ... and, lastly, his bunny Honey Bunny.
A celebration of John's life is planned for Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Sophie's, 507 E. Fifth St. (just east of Avenue A) at 6 p.m.
Memories of John can be shared here.
3 comments:
John was a warm and caring person. He was always willing to help out on so many community issues. We raised our kids together in this community and they have such loving feelings about him. He is missed.
Thank you for posting this. I spent many fine early evenings with John at the old St Dymphna's. He was a warm and caring man. He will be fondly remembered.
I also knew John (and Wendy) from St Dymphna’s. Many an enjoyable conversation — I do miss him.
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