Rev Robert L Crosby

Reverend Robert L. Crosby was born September 12, 1914, in Franklinville, NY; He died in Brooksville, FL. on November 8, 2006, at the age of 92. He grew up in Corry, PA. Graduated with a BS in Theology from Houghton College, in 1938. There he met his wife, Norva Bassage. He studied further at the Winona Lake School of Theology, Indiana, and the Union Seminary, NYC; he earned a master’s degree in Spanish Literature from the Universidad Internacional, Saltillo, Mexico.

The Crosbys’ moved to Brooksville, FL, in 1983, from Houghton, NY.

As well as pastoral ministry in New York State, and several years being employed at Houghton College, Rev. Robert & Mrs. Norva Crosby were career missionaries 1942 – 1997, to Colombia, SA, to Puerto Rico, and to Mexico. They were Wesleyan missionaries and they led in establishing the Wesleyan church outreach in Colombia, as well as founding the Wesleyan outreach in Puerto Rico. The Administration Building of the Wesleyan Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, is named for them.

In Brooksville, Rev. Robert Crosby and wife Norva joined the Brooksville Wesleyan Church. Rev Crosby started the chaplaincy program of Brooksville Regional Hospital (now Bayfront), where he served for over 15 years. Other interests included fine woodworking (he enjoyed making cypress clocks, given as gifts to family and friends), and music. He was a talented singer, singing with a family trio in his youth, with the Houghton College quartet, and with the International Youth for Christ quartet, which traveled extensively throughout Latin America. In his later years, he traveled annually as far as Alaska, for family visits.

He was survived by his wife, Norva, until her passing on March 1, 2016; by his two sons, Robert Jr. and wife LouAnne Crosby of Oregon, and James Stephen and wife Luanne Crosby of Alfred, NY; and by his two daughters, Priscilla and her husband Bernard Piersma of Floral City, FL, and Susan and husband Michael Pendergrast of Wasilla, Alaska; 9 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister Edith Graf (born 1913) of St. Louis, MO.