James Pennington Crosby

On December 8, 2014, The Reverend James P. Crosby of Jacksonville died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Father Crosby was born December 31st, 1931, in Queens, NY. A graduate of Adelphi College and Yale Divinity School, he was ordained into the Priesthood December 23rd, 1957. Fr. Crosby served parishes in Brentwood and Ozone Park, NY, and he also served as Chaplain to the Emergency Services and Rescue personnel at Idlewild (now JFK) International Airport. In 1964 he moved his family to Laurel, Montana, where he was the Rector of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Chaplain to both the Laurel Police Department and the Yellowstone County (Montana) Sheriff’s Department. Father Crosby was predeceased by his wife Marion Elizabeth (Page) Crosby in 1966. In 1967 the Crosby family moved to Jacksonville where he took the position of Assistant Rector at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, where he met Marian R. Rogers. They married in 1968, and eventually moved to Bradenton, Florida, where Fr. Crosby was Assistant Rector at Christ Episcopal Church. In 1974 the Crosbys and their five children moved back to Jacksonville and Fr. Crosby served as Rector of Holy Cross Episcopal Church and St. George’s Episcopal Church. In 1976 Fr. Crosby became the Police Chaplain for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, a position he filled for 30 years. During those years he not only established the local and State recognition ceremonies for Police Memorial Day and was instrumental in establishing the organization Concerns Of Police Survivors (COPS) but he served as Chaplain to both the Florida Highway Patrol personnel and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As FBI Chaplain, Fr. Crosby was a regular and welcome visiting addition to the staff at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Fr. Crosby was also a member of the 200 Club and assisted them in their confidential service projects and efforts within the Jacksonville community. Father Crosby is survived by his wife Marian (Mimi) (Rogers) Crosby; sister Margaret Crosby Stotz (Robert); children James W. Crosby (Paula); Kenneth B. Crosby; Judith C. Crosby; Elizabeth C. Reeves (Bob); and Christopher P. Crosby (Michelle); grandchildren Danielle Crosby, Aidan Crosby, Rebecca Crosby, Kenneth C. Crosby, Hannah Reeves, Haley Reeves, Wesley Crosby, Mary Elizabeth Crosby, and Carter Parker. A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, 14 December 2014 at four o’clock in the afternoon at the Episcopal Church of Our Savior located at 12236 Mandarin Rd., Jacksonville. A reception will follow at the Parish Hall on site. In lieu of flowers the Father Crosby requested that donations be made to Hospice of North East Florida, for the kind and competent care given him and his family during Fr. Crosby’s long fight with Parkinson’s disease and its complications. Hospice of Northeast Florida is located at 4266 Sunbeam Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32257. HARDAGE-GIDDENS, THE OAKLAWN CHAPEL, 4801 San Jose Boulevard