John Robert "Bob" Cromack

1933 - 2025

Anacortes - John Robert (Bob) Cromack passed away peacefully on October 12, 2025, after a five-year battle with Parkinson's disease. Born in Wewoka, Oklahoma, on March 23, 1933, Bob is the son of the late Gerald Henry Cromack and Isabel Work Cromack.

Raised in Austin, Texas, Bob graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas, where he was a member of the men's varsity swim team and the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. It was in Austin where he met his loving and surviving wife of almost 68 years, Barbee Frazier Cromack. Their first date was for coffee on Christmas Day! Bob would go on to earn a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University, where he would later serve as President of the School of Engineering alumni, a volunteer position.

Bob was a Registered Professional Engineer with a career devoted to highway safety. He was involved with extensive original research on seat belt technology and led an engineering team for Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, that developed and tested the air bag system. During his early career, he also helped design and build International Harvester's HT-340 turbine engine concept tractor, which today is exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum. Prior to that, while working for Convair Aeronautics Corporation, Bob was involved in the design teams for the B-58 Hustler, the world's first supersonic bomber, as well as the F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart fighter aircraft.

In 1978, Bob founded and was President of Arizona-based Cromack Engineering Associates, which for 25 years advised domestic and global clients, performing automobile accident research. Among his many overseas projects, Bob was once hired by NATO to advise European countries on accident investigation techniques. He served as the national President of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine and was a lifelong member.

Bob was a veteran and proudly served his country as a member of the Texas Army National Guard as a military policeman and helicopter crew chief during the Korean War era. He had strong faith and was a lifelong member of the Episcopal church. Bob was a mechanical engineer at heart, often building things that he used in everyday life, including a home computer, a short-wave radio, furniture, light-weight backpacks for high-mountain treks in Colorado and a sailboat which he raced on lakes in Texas. One of Bob's most notable skills, however, was as a master chef and consumer of the "world's best" chocolate chip cookies!

After retirement to Anacortes, Washington, Bob became an avid motor boatman and member of the Fidalgo Yacht Club. He was Captain of his and Barbee's motor yacht, the Guemes Lady, for fifteen years and conducted many summer voyages deep into Canada. Many will remember Bob wearing his Stetson hat which he acquired in recent years and wore whenever he could! Bob was a proud father of three, grandfather of nine and great grandfather of one. He is survived by his wife, Barbee, their three children, Gerald Henry (Jerry) Cromack II (Ellen), Jamie Lynn Cromack (Garrick) and Scott Hubbard Cromack (Kelly) as well as his brother, William Henry Cromack (Masako). He was predeceased by his brother, Bertrand Monroe Cromack. The family asks consideration for memorial gifts to be made to The Parkinson's Foundation, 5757 Waterford District Drive, Ste 310, Miami, FL 33126. https://www.parkinson.org/