OBITUARY: Gordon Don Crocker May 11, 1939–Dec. 22, 2012

Gordon Don Crocker and his wife Judy on vacation. Courtesy photo

Gordon Don Crocker May 11, 1939–Dec. 22, 2012

Don Crocker lived a remarkable life filled with travel, the arts, multiple activities and never-ending interests, a great continuing love of learning, and in his healthier days, the rewarding energy of sports. 

He loved the opportunity for discussion, never reticent in expressing his opinion of the idea at hand, and those around him often had to maintain a serious face when he was enjoying his craft at punning.

Don’s activities included Adult Choir member and Youth Choir bass at Evensong, Adult Sunday School teacher, and Vestry member at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church; downhill skier and student of karate techniques; automobile builder, repairer and racer; and a pistol target shooter and artist in the fine metal engraving and woodworking gun techniques. His mechanical interests come through his father Gordon, a longtime Master Ford automobile mechanic.

Don’s education included engineering degree programs starting at the just opening Lubbock Christian College in Texas and continuing at Ball State University in Indiana and individual courses in his areas of interest.  He read extensively.

Throughout 35 years of professional employment, Don practiced mechanical engineering and design. He worked at private firms in Alabama and Albuquerque and supported the activities of multiple groups within the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Formally, he was a part of the then Engineering Division.

Don is survived by his wife and son Judy Aplington Crocker and James Andrew Crocker, of Los Alamos and Denver. Married July 1, 1972, he and his wife recently celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary. 

His surviving family includes his mother Favette Crocker of Pampa, Texas; sister and brother-in-law Ginger and Don Stone of Clarendon, Texas, brother-in-law James Aplington of Gardners, Pa.; niece Laurie Lynn Holcomb and her husband Steve of Sweetwater, Texas, grand-nieces and -nephews Whitney and Andrew Lamming and Brady Holcomb of Lubbock and Sweetwater, Texas and Ashley and Justin Cardwell of Ft. Collins, Colo. 

Don’s father Gordon Crocker, lifetime mechanic and deaf evangelist in three states, died in 1997.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 2 at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be sent to Friends of Los Alamos County Libraries, P.O. Box 402, Los Alamos, NM  87544.

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