William Barry Crook

The family of Bill, William Barry Crook, is saddened to announce that Bill has died-peacefully, his nurse said-alone in his Hospice room, in the early morning of June 11, 2022. A member of the Greatest Generation, Bill was a veteran of World War II. Born in Oak Park, Illinois, on December 5, 1926, he grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, where he enjoyed winter sports and making friends; he graduated from Baldwin High School, class of ‘44.

Soon Bill found himself in the Navy, serving as a Motor Machinist Mate aboard an LSM in the Pacific. He sent weekly letters home detailing all he witnessed and his mother, Della, thankfully saved every letter.

Stateside, Bill found his parents living in a strange new land: Dallas, Texas, and there Bill discovered his forever home: Texas. He used the G.I. Bill and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in mechanical engineering. In 1950, he married his sweetheart June Elaine Reynolds, at Saint Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Dallas. Together they filled their lives with the joys of parenting four growing children, Barry, Cathy, Carol June, and Cindy Lou. After a lifetime together and a marriage of nearly sixty years, Bill and the children were greatly grieved when June died in 2009.

The family was likewise heartbroken by the passing of Barry in 2020 and by the recent death of Bill’s grandson, Josh Crook.Bill is predeceased by his brother Bob, and his parents, George, and Della.

But “strong in will,” he is survived by his daughter Cathy Kinsey (and husband Michael) of Austin, and his Dallas daughters, Carol Crook (and fiancé Larry Thompson) and his daughter Cindy Crook. He has six grandchildren: Justin Talley and Benjamin Kinsey (wife, Kristin) of Austin, Erin Jeffers (husband, Steve) of North Richland Hills, Texas; Cassie Collett, of Miami, Carly Collett, Dallas, and Madison Chu, New York. There are five Crook great grandchildren, Jaden Talley, Skylar Talley, Pepper Kinsey, Harper and her sister Beckett Jeffers.

Bill retired from the University of Texas as an engineer. He was a member of ASHRAE, served as PTA president and joined the Optimist Club which he would be a member of until his final Optimist group disbanded years later in San Antonio.

Truly an optimist, at 83, Bill begins a new chapter in his life when he met Betty Pack Godfrey-he called the event “Divine Intervention”-and married her at Saint Joseph’s downtown Catholic Church and moved to San Antonio. Finally claiming his life as a veteran, he traveled on an Alamo Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., became a regular member of the Red Shirts, a breakfast group of World War II veterans. He loved those guys.

As enduring Catholics devoted to their faith, Bill and Betty attended daily mass, and volunteered as Eucharistic Ministers at the downtown Baptist hospital. They traveled some, kept their doctor appointments, observed the Pandemic protocols, happily visited with family on the back porch, read books, and watched the world change.

Bill was a true gentleman, old school. As his daughter Cathy says, “How lucky we were to have Bill Crook as our dad. We will hold tight to a lifetime of special memories with him and will miss him every day.”

Bill is survived by his wife Betty Pack Crook, stepchildren: Erin Robinson (and husband Bill) and Jeep Marshall, of San Antonio, also by Patrick Marshall of Plano. Bill had seven step grandchildren and had inherited Betty’s numerous family members as well, most of whom had become his Facebook friends.

Bill’s Rosary is Thursday, June 30 at six pm at Porter Loring downtown; the funeral mass is at St. Pius X at one pm on Friday, July 1, with burial service at 2:15 pm at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery.

“Though much is taken, much abides,” the poet said. So, look up. No matter where we are, Bill is in the stars, with the angels. And with his God.