James George Crombe

James G. Crombe, died June 13, 2015, at his home in Seven Lakes, Ft. Myers, FL. He is survived by Helen, his wife of 25 years, three step-children, Tina Thornbladt (Robert), Ypsilanti, MI, Ralph Pagnucco (Margaret), Lakeland, FL, Lori Rapp (Lawrence), Bloomfield Hills, MI, and five step-grandchildren, Ian and Jake Zastro, Melissa and Nicholas Pagnucco, and Jillian Wolf, as well as several nieces and nephews in Michigan and Florida. He was predeceased by his former wife Kathleen Haley Crombe, Grosse Pointe, MI, his parents Julius and Julia Crombe, of Brugge, Belgium, two brothers Norbert (Sylvia) and George Crombe (Marjorie) and two sisters, Margaret Cerku, Fraser, MI, and Mary Harmon, Fraser, MI.

James Crombe graduated in 1942 from Church of the Assumption Catholic High School in Detroit. He attended the University of Michigan for one year and enlisted in the Navy in August 1943. He was selected for the V-12 program and transferred to St. Mary’s College, Winona, MN and the Naval Reserve Officers Training Program at the University of Minnesota where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned an Ensign in the U. S. Navy. He was honorably discharged in Seattle, WA in 1947.

On returning home, he graduated from Wayne State University with a BA in Journalism in 1948 and received his degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Detroit in 1952. He was a registered architect in Michigan and nationally, a member of the American Institute of Architects, and was a partner in the firm of Rollason, Rokicki & Crombe, Architects in Oak Park, MI specializing in school and church design. He retired in 1975.

James Crombe moved to Florida in 1984 and settled in Seven Lakes in 1988, where he served as editor and publisher of The Seven Laker newspaper for 18 years. He is sadly missed by all of his family.