Robert Johnston Crowell
	2005 Robert Johnston Crowell, 79, retired marketing director for Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Co., died of pancreatic cancer Feb. 20 at the Powhatan Nursing Home in McLean.
Mr. Crowell, a longtime McLean resident, retired in 2003 after more than 26 years with the company.
Mr. Crowell, a native of Des Moines, lived in numerous cities across the United States as a young man. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in the District in 1944. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and attended Michigan State University, where he played football.
Mr. Crowell began his work career with Knaust Brothers. He went on to work for KB Products and Iron Mountain Atomic Storage Vaults in New York, where he became marketing manager and vice president. He later worked as a sales manager of the National Federation of Independent Business, with responsibility for the Washington, D.C., and Delaware Valley areas.
In 1960, he moved to Northern Virginia, where he began his insurance career by establishing Robert Crowell and Associates. He joined Colonial Life in 1967.
Mr. Crowell served as Rotary president first in Catskill, N.Y., and later in McLean. He was an active member of the Silver Wings Fraternity. He had a passion for anything that could fly, taking his first solo flight in 1944, and later had his own airplanes.
He had a keen interest in photography and enjoyed processing his photographs in his darkroom.
His marriage to Katherine Ann Crowell ended in divorce.
He second wife, Angela Crowell, died in 1984.
Survivors include his companion of 20 years, Gurry Kennedy of Fairfax; three children from his first marriage, Gail Sargent of Gainesville, Ga., Bonnie Martin of McLean and Michael Crowell of Plant City, Fla; three children from his second marriage, Jill Harper of McLean, Roberta Starke of Vancouver, B.C., and Maria Foley of Alexandria; 21 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.