Arthur Joseph Crettol

1922 - 2012

Arthur Joseph Crettol August 8, 1922 - August 16, 2012 Arthur (Art) was born to Swiss immigrants Victor and Marie Crettol in their home in Wasco, California on August 8, 1922. Also born to Victor and Marie was another son Leo and daughter Mary Louise. The family enjoyed their rural upbringing and helping with chores on a beginning family farm. Art attended local schools and graduated from Wasco High School in 1941. At the outbreak of WWII Art enlisted in the US Army and because of his mechanical skills, learned on the farm, he was assigned to the US Air Corp 18th Pursuit Fighter Squadron on the Aleutian Islands in Alaska from 1941 to 1943. He served as a crew chief, repairing and maintaining P39 and P40 fighter aircraft. In 1943 he returned to the United States briefly and was soon deployed to Northern Europe to crew P47 fighter planes in the liberation of Europe. While in Belgium he met and married his first wife Elvire and returned home to start a family back in Wasco. His family was blessed with seven children: Marie Larkin, Jeanne Hylton and husband Michael (deceased), James Crettol and wife Barbara, Louis Crettol and wife Kathy, Shirley Linscott and husband Tim, Carolyn Stecki and husband Ron and Claudette Crettol. All children are still living. He was also blessed with twelve grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. With Victor's encouragement Art and Leo formed a partnership (Crettol Brothers) and started farming on their own in 1948. Tragically, Leo was killed in an auto accident in 1963 and Art continued on in farming as Crettol Farms. Sons James and Louis formed a partnership with their dad in 1974 that continues on today as Crettol Farms. Art and Elvire divorced in 1972 and he remarried in 1973 to Lorene Green. Lorene soon became part of our extended family. Lorene and Elvire became friends in later years and socialized at local women's events. Lorene passed away in November 2008. Art and Elvire remained close friends and she was with him at his passing. Art was active his whole life in the community and belonged to the American Legion, the Wasco Elks Lodge, the Bakersfield Eagles and the Wasco Knights of Columbus. He was on the Federal Land Bank Board of Directors and served on the Resource Conservation District Board for many years. He attained his private pilot certificate with his two sons in 1966 and enjoyed many years of flying all over the western United States. Art was an avid fisherman all his life, traveling to Mexico, Brazil, Alaska and the Klamath River with his many fishing buddies. He was one of eight founding members of the Coyote Club of Wasco "Gentlemen's Dinner Club". Coyote members meet monthly to share a meal and help in its preparation as well as telling tall tales late into the evening. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Glenwood Gardens and Odyssey Hospice for the special care and love they showed our father in his final days with us. Also, Art and the family were blessed by the care Tish Lewis, Sulen Cisneros and Cynthia Lakin gave our dad these past four years. They have become part of our family and are true friends. And finally, thank you daughters Jeanne and Carolyn for all the extra time you spent with father helping him in his final moments. He will be greatly missed but his legacy lives on in his family. Please keep him in your prayers. Monsignor Craig Harrison will celebrate the Holy Mass in Art's honor on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at St. John's Catholic Church in Wasco at 10:00am. Pallbearers are: Tim Linscott, Jacob Linscott, Philip Linscott, Brian Crettol, Michael Jameson and Mike Hankins. Graveside services will follow at the Wasco Cemetery following the Mass. Celebration of Art's life will continue at the Wasco Elks Lodge after services are complete and all are welcome to come. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Art's name to the Parkinson's Institute; 675 Almonor Ave.; Sunnyvale, CA 94085 Peters Funeral Home - Wasco www.bakersfield.com/obits