Moton H. Crockett Jr.

Moton H. Crockett, Jr. was born in Los Angeles in 1923, to parents Mae and Moton H. Crockett, Sr., but relocated to Austin before his first birthday. He continued to live in Austin until he passed away peacefully at home on September 25, 2019, at the age of 96.

In his youth, Moton was active in school bands, enjoyed boating and water skiing on the lakes, riding his bicycle and then motorcycling long distances. He attended Austin public schools, graduating from Stephen F. Austin High School and the University of Texas. In 1942, Crockett met Martha while they were studying accounting for their BBA degrees. They married in 1944, and had one son and one daughter. He took a break from his studies in 1943 to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corp.

After the war, Crockett returned to the Longhorn Band becoming the band’s director. He served in that position from 1950 until the spring of 1955. In 1954, at the suggestion of Col. D. Harold Byrd, a longtime benefactor of the University of Texas and the Longhorn Band, Moton sought out and acquired the giant drum we now know as Big Bertha for $1. He towed the drum from Indiana to Austin. The spring and early summer of 1955 were spent refurbishing the giant drum before presenting Bertha to the incoming Director Vincent R. Di Nino in time for the 1955 football season. Over the years, Moton continued to fund maintenance and repairs for Bertha including transporting her to the Rose Parade (2005 and 2006) and to the January 2015 London New Year’s Day Parade. In March of 2007, Moton contacted Remo Drum Company in Valencia, California and, Moton arranged to have Big Bertha completely refurbished at his expense. While the refurbishment was going on, J.P. Kirksey overhauled the carriage, the frame and installed new tires and new quick-release ratchet straps on the carriage. Eventually, Moton and Martha established the Big Bertha Endowment Fund and in 1983 set in motion the successful Longhorn Alumni Band Scholarship Award program with a sizeable donation. He served as the first Chair of the LHAB Charitable Fund Board of Trustees.

Moton earned three degrees at the University of Texas: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Business Administration. After graduating from UT, Moton started the Capital Music Service which provided taped background music to business offices, but when his father died, he gave up that business and took over his father’s real estate holdings. In the beginning, many of these properties were just raw land. Over the years, Moton was able to lease the land to people who developed the properties and became life-long tenants.

One of Moton’s passions was flying. He was an accomplished pilot (45 years with over 8,000 hours flying time and instrument rating) and an avid traveler who used his personal airplane to attend meetings, conventions, social events, football games, and many other excursions to destinations across the North American Continent. He was also generous in inviting friends to travel with him and in using his personal airplane to fly other people when the need arose, such as for seeking medical treatment.

During his lifetime, Moton was a vital, active member of our community. He was involved in numerous civic groups and other organizations. These groups included the Quiet Birdmen’s Association, The Aerostar Owners Association (Past President) the International Good Neighbor Council (Past President), South Austin Civic Club, Sons of the Republic of Texas, Austin Founder Lions Club (Past President), the Austin Junior Chamber of Commerce (Austin Past President), the US Jaycees (Past Director) as well as Austin Adult Services (Past Chair) and the Longhorn Alumni Band. Moton was proud of his Masonic record at the University Lodge No. 1190 where he was initiated in 1971, made a Life Member in 1986, received the Golden Trowel Award, as well as 40-Year Service Award. He served the lodge at various levels: Steward, Deacon and Warden. Moton enjoyed working out at the YMCA where he served as a Past President. He was also an active member in his church, Central Presbyterian Church, where he was baptized, married, had his children baptized and served as Elder and Deacon.

In addition to these organizations, Mr. Crockett was a regular donor for the Austin-Travis County Blood Bank (We Are Blood). He was recognized as the first 35-gallon donor of whole blood. He also gave generous monetary donations to The 100 Club, the Long Center, the Paramount and the Blanton Museum in support of the arts.

Moton was preceded in death by his sister Helen Webster and his wife Martha. Moton is survived by his immediate family: children Moton H Crockett, III, Elaine Crockett, and his granddaughter Ingrid Burton (husband John T Burton), and their son Ian M. Burton as well numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

The family would like to acknowledge Moton’s caregivers for their attentive and loving care and without whom Moton’s life and mobility would have been severely limited over the last 11 months. They are Yvonne Chapa, Reggie Lynch, Christopher Pierce, Zon G. Quewea, Alimi Sikiru and Chienwie Suh.

There will be a memorial service and reception for Moton H Crockett, Jr. on Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 2:00 in Central Presbyterian Church located at 200 E. 8th Street, Austin, TX. 78701. Immediately following the service, there will be a reception at the Omni Hotel located across the street from the church.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in Moton’s memory to Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. 8th St. Austin, TX. 78701 (https://tinyurl.com/CPCAustin), or Crockett Endowment for Big Bertha (giving.utexas.edu/bigbertha), or Lone Star Lions Eye Bank (www.LSLEB.org)

The family also wishes to thank Donna Beth McCormick and J. P. Kirksey, both Past Presidents of the Longhorn Alumni Band, for contributing to this obituary.