Bob Edward Croft

HIGH POINT - "When an old man dies, a library burns." This proverb was never truer than with the passing of Bob Edward Croft on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006. A loving husband, father and humanitarian, Croft was born Feb. 24, 1923, in Tulsa, Okla., and lived the first 14 years of his life in Venezuela where his father was a manager for Standard Oil Co. Croft graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa in 1941. After serving in World War II, he returned home and in 1946 married Janet Gerda Antonsen, of Chicago, Ill. He and his bride moved to Stillwater, Okla., where he graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1948, during which time he was trained as a firefighter and drove the Oklahoma lieutenant governor on his campaign trail. He began his career as a Boy Scout Executive in Fort Smith, Ark., followed by service as executive vice president of Chambers of Commerce in Bossier City, La.; Bristol, Va.-Tenn., and Asheboro; and economic development manager in Haywood County and Stokes County. During his tenure with the Asheboro Chamber of Commerce, he recruited numerous companies to the area and worked diligently to get placement of the state zoo, which opened in Asheboro in the 1970s. He is also remembered as Jolly Old Saint Nick by the many adults and children he delighted during his December visits to those in and around Asheboro. Croft served as Kiwanis Club District Governor for Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee; 30-year member of Asheboro Rotary Club; Honorary Lifetime Member of the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives; Salvation Army Chairman in Asheboro; YMCA Board Member in Shreveport, La. and Asheboro; president of Louisiana Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives; president of Piedmont Area Development Association; board member of the Industrial Development Association; secretary treasurer of Sales and Marketing Executives Association; member of the American Economic Development Association; member of the Southern Industrial Developers Council; Scoutmaster and regional staff member of the National Jamboree; Council Board member of the General Greene Council and Daniel Boone Council; ; assistant Scoutmaster in Asheboro and Tulsa; and member and deacon of First Presbyterian Church of Asheboro. He received the Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, General Greene Council B.S.A. Silver Beaver Award, B.S.A. District Award of Merit - Randolph District and Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Asheboro Rotary Club. Croft was preceded in death by his mother, Vera Croft Petrasek, his father, Clifford Donald Croft, his brother, Clifford Donald Croft Jr. and his son, Kenneth Robert Croft. He is survived by his wife, Janet Antonsen Croft, of River Landing at Sandy Ridge in High Point; daughter Carol Ann Croft of Pfafftown; son Douglas Edward Croft of Thomasville; daughter-in-law Deborah Lavasque Croft of Greensboro; and grandchildren Cameron Elizabeth Croft, Adam Taylor Croft, Allison Lindsey Croft and Wilson Robert Croft. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Sept. 30, at Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at First Presbyterian Church in Asheboro, followed by a graveside service at Westminster Gardens in Greensboro. Memorials may be made to the Boy Scouts of America, the Salvation Army or a charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be made at www.pughfuneralhome.com.