Arlene Buchanan Crissman passed away Saturday, December 8th, at First Health Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst. She was 87 and had suffered from heart and lung disease for years. Arlene's nature was to love and care for people and plants. Her early plan was to become a nurse but this quickly changed when she fell in love with the tall and handsome, Larkin Crissman. Their family grew to include seven children, and Arlene loved raising her children and watching them grow. She also enjoyed working the land and helped Larkin grow produce to sell and to feed their large family. The greatest tragedy that can befall parents happened to Arlene and Larkin in 1971 when their beloved Rosie died from an asthma attack at age thirteen. Then in 1984, Larkin was killed in a car accident. Arlene was heartbroken but helped her family carry on and begin to start and raise families of their own. Though always artistic, it wasn't until her later life that Arlene had the time to pursue her crafts. She delighted in making wreaths and flower arrangements. When her daughter Teresa taught her to make bows, Arlene, arthritic, and now suffering from heart and lung disease, discovered a way that she could stay productive. She crafted thousands of bows in her lifetime for her family, friends, and acquaintances. She even made bows to sell to raise money so all the children at her librarian daughters' schools  could go home with books from their book fairs. We called her effort, "Bows for Books." Arlene loved growing up in a big family in Harnett County. Her parents, the late Alton Lee Buchanan and Madie Thomas Buchanan raised eight children: Sophie B. McNeill, Vada B. Tingen, Faye B. Cotton, Alton B. Buchanan, and Mary Lee Buchanan, all deceased. There are two surviving daughters, Annie Laura B. Seymore of Sanford and Sue B. McNeill (husband, Wendell) of Broadway. Alton B.'s wife, Phyllis T. Buchanan, also lives in Broadway. Arlene and Larkin's big family includes Dorothy "Cris" Crissman of Raleigh; Bonnie C. Marshall and husband Andrew of Sanford and children, Caleb (Raleigh), Rachel M. Sibley and husband Kevin (Sanford) and sons William and Wyatt; Rufus Crissman and wife Mary (Sanford) and daughters, Kim Loftis (Sanford) and daughter, Ashley and son Dylan; Beverly C. Akers and husband Josh (Creedmoor) and children, Rylee and Gavin; and son Cris Crissman (Sanford); Kay C. Mattern and husband Kent (New Symrna Beach, FL) and children, Kaylea M. Linde and husband, Peter (Winston-Salem), and Kristian, Kirk, Kade, and Kassie of the home; Teresa and Audrey Crissman (Broadway). The family will receive friends from 10:30 am to noon on Friday, prior to the funeral service.at Holly Springs Baptist Church in Broadway. Online condolences can be made at www.smithfuneralhomebroadway.com Arrangements are by the Smith Funeral Home of Broadway.