ATHENS, Ohio -- A memorial service will be held for Dr. Harry B. Crewson, the 17th president of Ohio University, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Copeland Oaks, 800 South 15th St., Sebring, Ohio. Crewson passed away Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Sebring, Ohio. Plans are pending for a memorial service on campus.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Harry B. Crewson Freshman Scholarship Fund through the Ohio University Foundation.

Crewson served as president of Ohio University from 1974 to 1975. He followed Claude R. Sowle as president and served until Charles J. Ping was installed in office.

During his term, Crewson began a freshman retention program to help orient new students to the campus and community. Many of the Freshman Experience courses, outgrowths of Crewson's retention efforts, are still offered through University College. He also brought the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the first such school in the state, to Ohio University in 1975.

Crewson began teaching at the university in 1949 and spent 25 years as a professor of economics prior to his selection as interim president.

In 1955, he founded and became first president of the Ohio University Employees Credit Union. He also served as 10 years as president of Athens City Council.

After his tenure as president, Crewson returned to teaching as a trustee professor of economics. He fully retired from teaching in 1983 and was awarded the Phillips Medal of Public Service by the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine that same year.

On campus, Crewson House, the location of the Office of the Ombudsman, is named in his honor.

Crewson, born in 1913 in Sebring, Ohio, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and education from the College of Wooster in 1935. He spent time instructing at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, before becoming a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945. After his military service, he enrolled at Ohio State University to earn his master's degree in 1948 and his doctoral degree in 1953, both in economics.

He is survived by his wife, the former Marge Williams, and two children, John and Karen. His first wife, Martha Walker Crewson, died in 1990.