IRVINGTON—Catherine Thorsen Crabill, our powerfully loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister went home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, May 1, 2021.
Born in Albuquerque, N.M., on October 4, 1956, Catherine was a lover of hollyhocks against warm adobe walls and green chili. She moved with her family to Virginia where she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior in 1973, after her youngest sister was miraculously healed of cancer.
Catherine, tenacious in nature, mastered skiing and became the first female downhill ski instructor on Aspen Mountain. An accomplished athlete, she was a helicopter skier, racing cyclist, downhill ski racer, equestrian and open ocean swimmer. She was incredibly intelligent, fascinated by global politics and a voracious reader of the Bible.
She met her best friend and beloved husband, Chris M. Crabill of Alexandria, at Fort Hunt High School and their lasting, tender love is an inspiration. Catherine and Chris moved to the Northern Neck in 1996 where they built their family craftsman home by hand.
She was a successful realtor, Dream Fields baseball cheerer and involved parent at Chesapeake Academy, Christchurch School and Lancaster High School.
A staunch supporter of the Constitutional State and National Sovereignty, Catherine was the Republican nominee for Virginia’s First Congressional District in 2010. In 2009 Catherine ran for the 99th District Delegate to the Virginia Assembly.
She was a fearless letter to the editor contributor and even those who vehemently opposed her views respected her courage and character. A true American patriot, she instilled a love of God and country into her children and grandchildren by her passionate example.
Catherine’s greatest desire was to be remembered as a devout follower of Jesus Christ and to hear these precious words, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” Humble, kind, honest and selfless, she was a Proverbs 31 woman with ever a song of praise on her lips and joy in her greeting. Catherine was also a published author and wrote the book, To Say the Hard Things, about reconciling yourself to the truth in hopes of helping others find deep forgiveness and healing and break the generational chains of pain through Jesus Christ.
Catherine is survived by her devoted husband of 36 years, Chris M. Crabill of Irvington; children Jessica and Bart Kachniarz of Baltimore, Md., Cody Crabill of Virginia Beach, Sam and Sarah Crabill of Arlington and Zach and Kate Crabill of Lynchburg; grandchildren, Emilia Kachniarz, James Kachniarz and Baker Crabill; siblings, the James and Maria Thorsen family of Richmond, the Robert and Sudie Thorsen family of Warrenton, the Michel and Lyndl Joseph family of Alexandria, the Forrest and Virginia Henry family of Santa Fe, N.M., and the Keith and Nancy Stanley family of Santa Fe..
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Catherine Thorsen of White Stone; and her darling niece, Rebecca Black Thorsen of Washington, D.C.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Historic White Marsh Church, Lancaster, and Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship, Frisco, N.C.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, May 7, 2021, at Historic White Marsh Church.
A private graveside service will be held at Historic Christ Church.
