Johnie Crocker, Jr.

Notes:

At the time of the 1940 census, he and his oldest sister, Edna Earl, were living with their maternal grandparents, James and Frances Clark, in Newton County, Texas.


Larry Crocker writes that: "My dad was born on a cotton farm just outside of Warton, Wharton County, Texas. His name at birth was Johnie Junior Crocker. The family made one crop there and then moved back to Pineland where my grandfather Johnie Willis Crocker went to work for the saw mill in Pineland. They lived in a company owned house in Pineland until In 1928 when my grandparents separated and my grandmother and the kids moved in with my great grandfather and great grandmother, James Anderson Clark and Frances Edna Ener, and their children then living at home, Jimmy, Dixie, Lee and Alif. In October of 1929 they moved to Simmonsville in Newton County, Texas.

In 1934 my grandmother, Sophronia Elizabeth Clark married Raymond W. Woods and my dad went to live with them. They moved several times and in 1940 my dad went back to live with my great grandparents until he joined the Army Air Corp in 1941and was sent to San Antonio for his training. Upon joining the service he was told that his name could not be Johnie Junior, but Johnie Crocker, Jr. He tells that the reason that he joined the service was because he had whipped his grandfather, James Anderson Clark's mule Kit (Marvin Dean Simmons mentions Kit in his book "As Remembered") and his grandfather said that he was going to whip him just like he had whipped the mule, therefore he ran away and joined the service. After finishing in San Antonio he was sent to Las Vegas Nevada and this is where he was when the Jap's bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He eventually ended up in the Philippines where he flew on C47's & C46's helping to evacuate the field wounded back to station hospitals. In 1945 he was sent back to the states and finally wound up back in San Antonio where he was eventually discharged into the Army Reserves.

Upon leaving San Antonio he went to Voth, Texas (just outside of Beaumont) where my grandmother and step grandfather then lived. He was later called back into the service during the Korean Conflict and during this time we lived in Joplin, Missouri for a while and also in Little Rock, Arkansas, both at bases where he was stationed. I have a copy of his discharge after Korea, it was filed in Jefferson County, Texas. The 1947 Beaumont, Jefferson County, City Directory shows my dad living at 2065 North Lawrence Way and working as a salesman for the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company. This was the home of his sister, Frances Reeves and her husband Elmo Reeves. The 1949 City Directory shows my dad as John Crocker, Jr. an office secretary (at the Teamsters Union) and living at 2065 North Lawrence Way. This must have been a hold over from the 1948 City Directory, of which I do not have a copy, since he and my mom married on August 30, 1947. My mom is shown as living at 2274 St. Helena, our home in Multimax Village. This is the first place that I remember as a small child. The directory shows that she was a typist for Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation. The 1950 City Directory shows my dad as a "Driver" and him and my mom still living at 2274 St. Helena. At this time my dad was a truck driver for Younger Brothers of Nederland, Texas and according to his Report of Separation From The Armed Services Of The United States of record in the office of the County Clerk of Jefferson County, Texas he was a Gas Delivery Man. The separation report shows that he was a Corporal and was appointed to this position on August 1, 1948. It shows that he was called back from inactive duty on October 14, 1950 from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas and was released from active duty on August 6, 1951 from Camp Crowder, Missouri. The report shows his total time in the service as being 10 years 6 months and 2 days. The date of birth shown on the separation report is November 24, 1922, which is in error. A copy of the separation report is in his scrapbook and a certified copy is in my hard copy file. The 1960 City Directory shows my dad as an operator for Texas US Chemical Company and his home address as 4430 El Paso.

ACTIVITY DURING WWII MEDICAL TECHNICIAN 409. SERVED AS A TECHNICIAN FOURTH GRADE WITH THE 801ST MEDICAL AIR EVACUATION SQUADRON WITH THE ARMY AIR FORCE. PICKED UP WOUNDED FROM THE FIELD HOSPITALS IN C-47 AND C-46 AIRCRAFT. SERVED FROM FEBRUARY 4, 1941 UNTIL JANUARY 3, 1946. RECEIVED AN ARMY AIR FORCE CREW MEMBER BADGE, 3 OVERSEAS LAPEL BUTTONS, DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE WITH ONE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, ONE SERVICE STRIPE, VICTORY RIBBON, AMERICAN THEATRE CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, ASIATIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH SEVEN BRONZE STARS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON, AND 3 OVERSEAS SERVICE BARS. BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS INCLUDE WESTERN PACIFIC; AIR COMBAT BORNEO; BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO, NEW GUINEA; SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES; LUZON; RYUKYUS.

From the Beaumont Enterprise, 26 April 2006

Johnie Crocker, Jr.

Johnie Crocker, Jr., fondly and lovingly known as Pops, Papaw and Uncle Boe, departed this life on April 23, 2006 in Beaumont, Texas, he was born November 24, 1923 to Johnie Willis Crocker and Sophronia Elizabeth Clark in Wharton County, Texas and was a Fourth Generation Texan. Johnie lived in Burkeville, Texas, during his school years and attended Burkeville schools. He married the former Kathryn Jane Cherry, daughter of Charlie B. Cherry and Nettie Jewel Williams, August 30, 1947 in Beaumont, Texas.

Johnie made his profession of faith and was saved in about 1936 at the age of 13. It was in a small place called Simmonsville, Texas, with a one-room schoolhouse and a one-room Baptist Church, which were one and the same. He was baptized in Little Cow Creek nearby. The church had a preacher who came about every 4th Sunday. Johnie was saved in a 5th Sunday meeting. It was like a revival with a dinner on the grounds. Johnie has been a Baptist ever since. Johnie was a member of West End Baptist Church in Beaumont.

Johnie served as a Medical Technician with the 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron with the 5th Army Air Corps during World War II from 1941 to 1946 stationed on Leyte Island in the Philippines. Johnie also served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean Conflict from 1950 to 1951. He retired from Ameripol Synpol, formerly Texas U.S. Chemical Company in Port Neches, Texas in 1983 as General Shift Foreman with 31 ? years of service. The saddest day of Johnie's life was April 5th, 1975, when his son "Andy" died at the age of 23.

For the next 15 years after his retirement Johnie traveled all across the United States and Canada with his wife in their motor homes. Visitation for family and friends will be at the funeral home on Wednesday, April 26th, 2006 from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Services will be held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home in Beaumont with Rev. Robert Carter and Rev. Parks Walker officiating at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, April 27th, 2006 with burial in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Johnie was preceded in death by his parents, Step-father Raymond Windol Woods, Step-mother Lillie Mae Cunningham Crocker, Mother-In-Law Nettie Jewel Williams and Father-In-Law Charlie B. Cherry, Grandfather James Anderson "Jim" Clark and Grandmother Frances Edna Ener (both of who helped raise him) his son James Andrew "Andy" Crocker, Brother In-Laws, Elmo Leo Reeves, Raymond Edward Buck, Allen Dempsy "Al" Barnard, Clayton Eugene Conner, Vertis Howard "Doll" Conner, James Wesley "Jimmy" Gorrell and Joseph Jessie Geer, Sr., and Nephews Michael Ray Buck, Ronald Craig Gorrell and Robert Edward Geer.

Johnie is survived by his wife of 58 years, Kathryn Jane Cherry Crocker, sons, Larry Wayne Crocker and his wife Dorothy Therese Jorden, Johnie Dale Crocker, Sr. and his wife Judy Diane Nusom. Grandchildren, Jamie Lynn Crocker, Jennifer LeAnn Crocker, Stacie Ann Crocker and her husband Michael John "Mike" Brumley, Sr., Johnie Dale "JD" Crocker, Jr. and his wife Fallon Christina Locke and Sara Amanda Crocker and her husband Roderick Louis "Rod" Tate. Great Grandchildren Samuel Ethan Brumley, Jacob Vaughn Brumley, Michael John Brumley, Jr., Leo Alexander Brumley, Alyssa Diane Crocker, Johnie Matthew "JC" Crocker and Charles Andrew "Andy" Crocker Polasek, Step-Great Grandson Kenneth Tate. Sisters, Edna Earl Crocker Buck, Frances Belle Crocker Reeves, Patricia Elizabeth Woods Barnard, Geraldine Woods Conner, Maxine Woods Conner and Joyce Lyrlene Crocker Geer. Brothers Elton Eugene Crocker and his wife Patricia Ann Platt and James Harold Crocker and wife Nina Beth Poindexter. Sisters-in-law, Mildred Agnes Cherry and her husband Dalton Davis, Nelwyn Elaine Cherry and her husband John Edward Rutledge, Mae Alice Rosalee Cherry Gorrell and Brother-In-Law Charles Leon Cherry and his wife Nancy Cobb. Aunts, Fannie Arlo Crocker Arwell and Mary Alif Clark Cotten. He is also survived by 31 Nieces and Nephews, 31 Great Nieces and Nephews and 10 Great Great Nieces and Nephews and numerous cousins and friends all of whom will miss him and love him always. Pallbearers will be Danny Conner, Jamie Conner, David Crocker, Kenneth Crocker, Mark Gorrell, Terry Gorrell, Dwight "D.D." Rutledge, and Kenneth "Kenny" Rutledge. Honorary pallbearers are Michael John "Mike" Brumley, Sr., Roderick "Rod" Tate, Kenneth Tate, Raymond Allen "Pete" Barnard, Donnie Reeves, Jimmy Reeves, Danny Fontenot, and Matthew "Matt" Cobb.

The family wishes to thank Southern Care Hospice for all their loving care in our time of need. Those wishing to make charitable donations may make them to the Southern Care Hospice 3965 Phelan Blvd. Suite 108 Beaumont, TX 77707, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Grand Central Station P.O. Box 4777 New York, NY 10163, or a charity of your choice. 4955 Pine Street Beaumont, TX 77703 (409) 892-5912"

(Research):

Census Information:

1930 Newton County, Texas Census; HH 55-55; Page 36B, Sheet 3B; Precinct 2
Name Relation Home Radio Farm Sex age age School R/W Self Father Mother
Clark, Jim A Head R Y M 47 20 N Y TX TX TX
Clark, Edna F Wife F 50 23 N Y TX TX TX
Crocker, Fronia E Dau F 26 17 N Y TX TX TX
Clark, Alif M Dau F 14 Y Y TX TX TX
Crocker, Edna E Gdau F 7 Y TX TX TX
Crocker, Johnie Jr Gson M 6 Y TX TX TX
Crocker, Eugene Gson M 4 9/12 N TX TX TX
Crocker, Frances B Gdau F 2 11/12 N TX TX TX

(Courtesy of Larry Crocker)

Johnie married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J6QW-P5D
Name: James Andrew Crocker
Event Date: 05 Apr 1975
Event Place: Harris, Texas
Gender: Male
Race (Original):
Age (Formatted): 23 years
Birth Year (Estimated): 1952
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Marital Status:
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: Johnnie Crocker Jr.
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Kathryn Cherry
Mother's Birthplace:
Occupation: Switchman Railroad
Cause of Death: Shotgun would of left chest
Residence Place:
Cemetery (Original):
Burial Place:
Burial Date:
Informant's Name (Original): Mrs. J. A. Crocker
GS Film number: 2243826
Digital Folder Number: 4167849
Image Number: 1531
Reference ID: 52380
Collection: James Andrew Crocker, "Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976"

James married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]