Ralph Eugene Cromar, age 84, passed away at home on November 3, 2021. After 51 years, he is surely rejoicing to be eternally reunited with many cherished loved ones, especially his soul mate, Janet, and son Steven.
The third of nine children, he was born on July 17, 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended Granite and Olympus High Schools, became a Ford Scholar at the age of 16, and earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah.
From 1957 to 1960, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the North German mission, where he cultivated lifelong friendships, particularly with a family he baptized.
After completing his mission, he attended graduate school at BYU where he met, fell in love with, and married Janet Bond. They moved to Maryland and welcomed three children. While there, he was employed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as a mathematician.
In August of 1970, the course of their lives was changed forever when the family was involved in a tragic automobile accident that took the lives of Janet and a son, Steven.
While living near Washington D.C., Ralph met and married Barbara Erekson. Shortly after they married, they returned to Salt Lake City and were blessed with four more children.
Throughout his life, he remained steadfast in his LDS faith. He was a patient and reliable father, who had a deep appreciation for critical thinking, traditional values, hard work, mathematics and family history. He valued education, and enjoyed helping his children with their math and science homework.
He is loved and will be missed!
Preceded in death by: Janet and Steven, his parents, Wayne and Miriam Cromar, his brother, Doug, and sister, Gloria. Ralph is survived by his children: Scott Cromar (Lisa), Lynne Burns (Jeff), Joseph Cromar (Cami), Marlise Cromar, Anndorie Cromar, Marilee Cromar; many grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces, and friends.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 12pm at the LDS Church on 4176 Adonis Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84124, with a viewing from 11:00-11:45 AM. A viewing will also be held Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the same location. The interment will follow the funeral at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84106.
The funeral service will be streaming live starting at Noon on the Wasatch Lawn Facebook page through www.facebook.com/wasatchlawnmemorial. It will also stream live on Olympus Hills Ward’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCex8Ns84Np9w1VRn_DDNojw.
