Dr. Donald W. Crone, 89, of Memphis, retired children’s dentist, died on April 16 at 2:00 p.m. Dr. Crone was born in Memphis in 1929 to Neely Gordon Crone and Annie Gunti Crone. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years Patricia Hall Crone and their eight children: Mary Elizabeth McGowan (John); Donald Francis Crone (Nancy); Gordon Ellis Crone and Daniel Patrick Crone all of Memphis; Martha Ann McFadden (Ken) of Louisville, KY; Rebecca Jane Stevens (Chris) and Jennifer Clare Pagoaga (Luis) of Jackson, TN and Katherine Grace Wilson (Rich) of Atlanta, GA. He leaves nine grandchildren: Laura and Patrick Crone; Kristi Maher Jennings (Jake) and Scott McFadden; Sergio, Emma, and Nathaniel Pagoaga; Eliza and Dean Wilson; and one great-grandchild, Anabel Sunshine Jennings.
His parents, older brother Fr. Raymond Crone, OFM, only sister, Sr. Annette Crone, OSF and great-grandchild Lucy Marie Jennings preceded him in death. He is survived by brothers John Basil Crone of Memphis; Raymond Hayes Crone of Waxahachie, TX and James Gerard Crone (Dorothy) of Horseshoe Bend, AR.
Dr. Crone attended Christian Brothers High School on East Parkway and earned his pre-dental credits at Christian Brothers College (now CBU). He attended the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and graduated in 1951 with a Doctor of Dentistry degree. He practiced general dentistry until called to serve in the U.S. Air Force Dental Corps for two years: the first year in Orlando, FL, the second in French Morocco. He separated from the service with the rank of Captain. While stationed in Florida he met his future wife Patricia and following his tour of duty in Morocco married her in 1954 in her hometown of Hamden, CT. They settled in Memphis and Dr. Crone again went into private practice. While in practice he received permission to attend the UT College of Dentistry on a part-time basis to work towards a specialty in Pedodontics and received his Master of Science degree in Pedodontics in 1961. He practiced that specialty until his retirement in 1995.
Dr. Crone enjoyed his 44 years of practice and was active at all levels of organized dentistry and was a Life Member of the American Dental Association and State and Local associations. He was a member of the American Academy of Pedodontics, Shelby Study Club, Tennessee Society of Dentistry for Children and was a past President of both the Memphis Dental Legion and Memphis Children’s Dentistry Society.
Dr. Crone was an active parishioner of St. Louis Catholic Church and a member of Serra Club of Memphis. The family requests donations be made to St. Louis Catholic Church.
Visitation will be held at St. Louis Catholic Church on April 20 at 9:00 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Burial following at Memorial Park.
