Lauren Denise Crum of Ione passed away surrounded by friends on April 11, 2025. She was 45 years old.
Lauren was born on Jan. 23, 1980 in the Salem Hospital to Denny and Alice Glace Scofield.
Lauren Crum’s life-time goal always involved caring for others. She achieved this in various ways as a loving mom of two, a caring farm wife, a beloved daughter, a registered nurse, an avid animal lover and a wonderful friend to many.
As a child, Lauren was an animal lover, including cats, dogs, hamsters, goldfish, worms, birds, snails, etc. Schoolwork came very easily for Lauren, leaving plenty of time for her daily “neighborhood cat walks.” Lauren and Alice would cruise the neighborhood looking for cats. Lauren was very practical and matter of fact. If she could see it, she had it. Warm summer weekends were spent swimming with friends and sailing with family. She loved being the socialite of the boat marina and hopped from boat to boat visiting with her summer friends. In her early teen years, along came horses and nothing else mattered. Her love for horses meant you could find her spending late nights cleaning stalls at a local barn in exchange for riding lessons.
Lauren attended Liberty Elementary School, Judson Middle School and Sprague High School in the Salem area. She went on to graduate from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Ag Business with a minor in equine science. While in college, Lauren was still an avid horse lover. She rode, owned, showed, and taught others to love horses as she did.
Lauren later earned her nursing degree at Columbia Gorge Community College and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Linfield University. She began her nursing career at Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner. She worked in all departments, from the emergency room to long-term care. Lauren continued working there for 10 years until a couple of years ago when she transitioned to the medical surgical floor at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston. Lauren’s service as a nurse has touched thousands of lives. She also met some of her greatest friends in the hospitals where she worked.
While attending Oregon State University, Lauren met Rob Crum of Ione. Lauren and Rob spent many years as friends, but during a visit over a Fourth of July weekend in Ione they began to date. They were engaged nine months later. Lauren went on to marry the love of her life, Rob, on April 15, 2007 at the Riverview Lodge in Boardman. They were happily married for just shy of 18 years.
During Lauren and Rob’s engagement and early married years, the Crums moved to various locations in north central and eastern Oregon areas. They eventually settled back on the Crum family farm in Ione. The Crums spent their remaining married years there, growing their family with a daughter, Allison (13) and a son, James (11). They have also raised countless animals on the farm, including the horses that Lauren loved.
Lauren was the Martha Stewart of her community. She was the one you called if you needed to plan a party. She probably already had all of the party supplies on hand. She was a gardener, canner, amateur veterinarian and overall farm MacGyver, a volunteer 4-H camp nurse, and a planner and organizer, not just for herself but others, too. She was the ultimate ranch wife. She was the one you called for sound advice or a good laugh with her dry sense of humor! She also loved trying new recipes, baking, prepping, shopping and traveling. But her favorite thing to do was spend time with Rob, Allison and James (bonus if there were horses involved).
Lauren was raised Lutheran and attended Ione Community Church. She attended services on Sundays when she wasn’t helping her patients at the hospital or cheering her kids on at their activities.
Family members remaining to cherish Lauren’s memory are her husband, Rob Crum; children, Allison and James; father, Dennis Scofield; sister, Karina Scofield; in-laws, Monty Crum (Susan), Bev Benson, Camie Crum; nieces, Phegley and Haryss; Steven Crum; niece, Grace Buscaino and family and nephew, Cameron Jewett and family; aunt, Jill Scofield; cousin, Andrew Vosper; and countless colleagues and friends that loved and adored Lauren.
Lauren was preceded in death by her mother, Alice Scofield; grandparents, Bill and Ruth Glace and Chris and Elmer Scofield; and former brother-in-law, Darrin Padberg.
Memorial services for Lauren will be held on May 9, 2025 at 11 a.m. at the Ione Community Church with a reception lunch to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Lauren’s memory to the Wranglers Riding Club, P.O. Box 924, Heppner, Ore., 97836.
Please leave your condolence messages for the family online.
Sweeney Payton Mortuary has been entrusted with arrangements.
