Dr. Carl Louis Croft

1933 - 2019

Dr. Carl Louis Croft died on June 21, 2019. He was born in Brunswick, GA, on October 30, 1933 to parents, Carl E. and Grace Temple Croft. He grew up on St. Simons Island, GA. That is where he met Ann Stafford Moore, his beloved wife of sixty years. Carl was an honor student and All State football player at Glen Academy. He then received an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. Carl played football at West Point under Vince Lombardi. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1956, and shortly thereafter married Ann on December 27, 1956.

After graduating, Carl entered the Army Missile Defense Command and was stationed in Trenton, NJ. His battery, one of 137, won first place in firing at White Sands, NM, in 1958. While stationed in NJ, Carl decided that he wanted to go to medical school. He traveled to Washington and negotiated a special dispensation from the Department of the Army with General Maxwell Taylor. Carl started medical school at Duke University in September 1958. He graduated in 1962 and was stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco, where he spent a year and did his internship. The Army then moved Carl and his family back to West Point. He was stationed there as a physician and the Army football team doctor. In 1964, Carl began his Orthopedic Residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In 1968, Carl moved with his family to Winter Park, Florida, and joined the Jewett Orthopedic Clinic, where he was a surgeon for 30 years.

During his career Carl was active in many medical societies. He was a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, and the Florida Medical and Orthopedic Associations. Carl was a founding member of the American Society of Sports Medicine. He was the chairman of the Orthopedic Sections at Winter Park and Florida Hospitals. Carl continued his training abroad, and in 1973 he performed the first arthroscopic knee surgery in the southeastern United States. Carl designed techniques for ligament reconstruction of the knee that are still being used today. He also trained surgeons from Columbia, South America. In 1990, Carl was appointed Clinical Professor for Health Related Affairs at the University of Central Florida. He was also one the first team physicians for the UCF football team and for the Orlando Magic. Carl retired from Jewett in 1998.

Carl was on the board of Combanks, was a founder of CNB bank, and served on the board of the Rollins College Hamilton Holt School. He was an active member of All Saints Church, Winter Park, The Church of the Good Shepherd, Cashiers, NC, and the Seekers Men's Bible Study. In 1976 following a devastating earthquake, he led a team of doctors to Guatemala to provide aid. Carl was an active supporter of El Hogar Home and School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and participated in a mission trip there. Carl strongly believed that one should be involved in their community through volunteerism and financial support. He and Ann were avid patrons of the arts including the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, the Orlando Museum of Art, the Orlando Philharmonic, and the Cornell Fine Arts Museum.

Carl enjoyed playing golf with Ann at Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park, and at Burlingame Country Club in Sapphire, NC, where they spent 25 summers. He was a bridge life master and successfully competed in many tournaments. Carl had a zest for life, was an enthusiastic outdoorsman, and fished and hunted with the same buddies for over 50 years.

Carl was preceded in death by his wife, Ann. He is survived by a devoted family who are grateful for the wisdom, experience, humor and strong values he modeled as a leader and father: Children, Elizabeth Croft Jewett (Skip), Lynn Croft Reeves (Jack), and Thomas Robert Croft (Carla); Grandchildren, Sara Jewett O'Neil (Riley), Callie Jewett, John Henry Reeves IV, Savannah Reeves, Thomas Robert Croft, Jr., Christian Croft and Michael Croft; Great-grandchildren, Grayson and Hadley O'Neil; Sister, Ruth Kent, and five nieces and nephews. He will be most remembered for his selfless generosity, guidance and sense of humor.

A Celebration of Carl's life will be held at All Saints Church in Winter Park on Thursday, June 27 at 3:00 p.m. A reception will follow at the Church. In lieu of flowers please consider a gift in memory of Carl to El Hogar Ministries at http://www.elhogar.org/ways-to-give/ or El Hogar Ministries ? All Saints Church, 338 East Lyman Avenue, Winter Park, Fl 32789.