Born August 8, 1929 in Bessemer, Ala., he was the son of Dee W. Crim and Bertie Viola Horton Crim. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Hubert Crim, and his sister, Louise Crim Darby. He was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, where he served as both Junior Warden and Senior Warden.
Robert attended Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, Ala., and Auburn University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. While at Auburn, he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. After graduation, Robert joined the United States Navy, where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. It was during his time in the Navy that Robert met his future wife, the former Sharon Lynn Brady, of Portland, Ore. Robert and Sharon were married in 1957. The couple moved to Pittsfield, Mass., where Robert began his long professional career with General Electric. The family eventually settled in Rome, Ga. Robert retired from G.E. in 1990