Who is Maria Crow from The Rocky Road to Romance and what is their importance?

In what she hopes is an unassuming manner, Mrs. Crow offers Daisy a family heirloom as an engagement ring. In truth, though, she assumed the couple to be engaged, when they were not. Daisy accepts the ring, which comes to symbolize her connection to Steve. At first it feels heavy and binding, but she comes to like it as something comforting.