Genevieve Northrup Crabtree Dies at 100 in Her Mission Valley Home

Genevieve Northrup Crabtree, whose family has been involved in medicine in San Diego for four generations, died at the age of 100 Saturday morning at her home in Mission Valley.

Crabtree was born in San Diego on July 17, 1886. Her father, Dr. Daniel Northrup, was among the founders of San Diego County Hospital, which later became UC San Diego Medical Center.

She attended high school and college in San Diego and spent two years at Stanford University before returning to San Diego to teach eighth grade. While teaching, she met her future husband, who was putting himself through medical school by running a carousel on Coronado.

After her marriage to E. Hodge Crabtree, the couple moved east for two years, where Crabtree graduated from the University of Michigan and her husband completed his medical studies in 1912.

They returned to San Diego and Dr. Crabtree became a police surgeon. He also was head physician at the Del Mar Race Track after it opened in 1937. The Crabtrees watched the races from their viewing box beside Bing Crosby’s in the days when Hollywood stars frequented the track.

The Crabtrees spent their summers in Del Mar when it was nearly a day’s journey from San Diego. The beach house they built in 1925 is still standing between 18th and 19th streets.

They spent the rest of the year at their horse farm, situated where the Vagabond Hotel now stands. It was among the last farms in Mission Valley.

Grew Exotic Plants

Crabtree raised show dogs and horses at the farm and grew exotic plants, many of which were donated to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. She was also a contributor to the Zoological Society.

After Crabtree’s husband died in 1953 she lived with her brother until his death in 1968. Even after encroaching development meant the horses had to go, she refused to leave her Mission Valley house.

Two of her sons, Peter and Hodge, became surgeons at Mercy Hospital. Dr. Peter Crabtree also was chief of staff at Children’s Hospital and worked in local and international medical organizations.

Crabtree is survived by two of her five children, Virginia Hammond of Rancho Santa Fe and Brooks Crabtree of San Diego; 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. Among her grandchildren are three doctors, two attorneys and a psychologist.

A grandchild, Dr. Bruce Crabtree of Hemet, attributed her longevity to her activity in raising animals, and gardening until she reached her 90s, as well as her interest in the lives of her children.