First Presbyterian Church will hold a memorial service for our longtime member and friend, Mina Crais, on June 2, 2018 at 11 am.
Mina Lea Crais (nee Sinske) aged 93, native of Wisconsin and resident of NOLA since 1950, died April 17, 2018. Armed with a degree from Univ. of Wisconsin School of Library Science, Mina worked in libraries at Tulane, Charity Hospital School of Nursing, N.O. Public Library, the World Trade Center and later the International House. She catalogued the commercial record holdings of Radio Center in New Orleans. In 1950 she became an active member of the N.O. Jazz Club (Board Member 1953, 1958, and 1960). In 1958 she and husband William C. Crais (d. 1986), a lawyer and jazz trombonist, took ownership of the Vieux Carre Music Shop. Throughout the 1960's, 70's, and 80's both were active in the N.O. jazz scene. Mina, as co-owner of Carnival Records, produced two albums engineered by Cosimo Matassa and co-wrote a jazz radio program with Dick Allen and later Harry Souchon. She and husband Bill co-edited "Mecca - The Magazine of Traditional Jazz" and acted as talent scouts for Golden Crest Records. Until shortly before her death Mina regularly attended Nickel-A-Dance on Frenchmen St. and Saturday nights at Palm Court. She never missed Endymion or a Society of St. Anne parade. Likewise, every 4th of July she put aside her penchant for scotch to have a beer with her hotdog. As a member, elder and trustee of First Presbyterian Church, Mina taught Sunday School until the summer of 2017 and participated in Women United in Prayer meetings at the church. Longtime memberships included Order of the Eastern Star and D.A.R., most recently as past regent of the Oliver Pollock Chapter. For decades Mina volunteered at the WYES Art Auctions, Project Lazarus where she sat vigil with many clients, the YMCA Book Fair, V.A. Hospital, Jazz Fest, and the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials. WDSU awarded her their "Making a Difference" Award, the YMCA twice named her Volunteer of the Year for their Literacy Program, and Project Lazarus named her Volunteer of the Year in 2009. In 2006 the Hogan Jazz Archive presented her with the Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the N.O. Jazz Community. Today, jazz scholars can reference the Mina Lea Crais Photography Collection at the archives. Mina, a sports fanatic, followed the Wisconsin Badgers, N.O. Saints and any other televised sports event. The only times she skipped church were for the Indy 500 and Kentucky Derby. Mina is survived by cousins in AZ, FL, GA, MD and NV and many friends and neighbors in N.O.
