“Being on his teams felt like being part of a family,” Chartouni de-la Serna said at the kickoff dinner of Alumni Weekend 2018 on April 28. “You felt like you were part of something special. He cared about each and every one of us as people.”

Chartouni-de la Serna joined Faculty Emeritus Barbara Lester, current faculty member Don Kappelman and Head of School Penny Townsend in honoring Crabtree, who will be retiring from teaching at the end of this year after 36 years, but will remain involved as a coach. Crabtree has taught AP Biology and Anatomy and Physiology, and coached girls’ cross country and track and field.

“When you talk about teachers who have been all-in, Doc’s been all-in for 36 years,” Townsend said. “He has dedicated his life to Ransom Everglades and its students. This is the kind of teacher you can build schools around.”

Crabtree was accompanied at event at the Anderson gymnasium by his wife Sharon and daughters Nicole Crabtree '04 and Robyn Crabtree '09 and granddaughter Sofia. When he took his turn at the microphone, he thanked his family, colleagues, assistant coaches and trainers.

Lester, a former science department chair who hired Crabtree, recalled the day Crabtree walked into her office for an interview wearing a coat, tie and vest. As she listened to him effuse about his research as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Miami, she was sure she had found the right addition to her staff.

“I couldn’t believe my luck,” she said, “here was exactly what we needed.”

Kappelman said Doc set the standard as a coach and teacher. “Doc was one of those guys you always wanted to have,” he said. “He was a teacher where you took his class, not a class.”

Added Kappelman: “As a family member, educator, coach, colleague and friend, his contributions to Ransom Everglades have been and will continue to be remarkable.”