In Memoriam, Rev. H. Dale Crockett

From Rev. Kent We received word today that The Rev. Dale Crockett passed away in Florida at the age of 86. Rev. Crockett, ordained in the American Baptist Church tradition, was pastor of Union Church from 1975 to 1984. During his tenure he oversaw the purchase and installation of our beautiful Steiner-Reck pipe organ (1977-1978) and the addition of Cowan Chapel (1982). I have been in touch with his family and expressed our condolences. His obituary is printed below for information about his many years of ministry and about how send remembrances.

The Reverend Dr H. Dale Crockett slipped away and joined the Church Triumphant on Thursday, May 30, at the Quality Care Center in North Port, Florida.
He was born in the Benton Church area of Massac County Illinois to Charles and Gladys (Robinette) Crockett. He married Ruth Bays in 1953 in Marion.
Dr Crockett was a retired American Baptist minister.
He and his twin brother David Gale graduated from Marion High School in 1950. He attended SIU, got his BA from Union University in Jackson, TN. He got his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Seminary in Wake Forest, NC and His Doctor of Ministry from the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Dale trained as a Hospital Chaplain at the Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville, Fl. He also trained as a Pastoral Therapist at the Samaritan Center in Jacksonville.
Dr Crockett pastored churches in Maryland, Washington DC, Iowa, and Southfield Mi. He pastored the church on the campus of Berea College in KY. Some of the students called him Doc Crock. He usually ate lunch with students from Cameron because they spoke French and Dale was fluent in French. He and Ruth retired from the First Baptist Church in Ottawa, Illinois.
During his ministry he was involved in many denominational and local organization. He participated in the Martin Luther King Jr march on Washington in 1963. They exchanged pastorates with a pastor in England for a summer in 1966.
Dale loved to learn. You nearly always saw him with a book. He took piano lessons for 42 years. He was a classical pianist. He studied and spoke French, German, Italian, and Spanish. He read Greek and Hebrew.
He was very close with his twin. He and Gale spoke on the phone nearly every day for several years. Sometimes in one of the languages they both knew, or one of the piano pieces they were working on, or about life in Big Bay, Il. Where they were young boys growing up.
After retiring to North Port Florida he had a pastoral therapy practice, and took language and music classes at the Charlotte County Cultural Center. He taught piano there for awhile.
He is survived by his wife Ruth, sons Mark Crockett in Ft Myers, Fl, Philip in Winston Salem, NC, and daughter Laura Ellen in Ft Myers. Grandchildren Stone, Miles, Sam, twins Aerin and Bailey, and Tommy Crockett.
Preceding him in death is son Bruce, twin Gale, sister Virginia Rolfe, and his parents.
Private funeral services will be held at a later date. National Cremation Society is in charge.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heritage of Sharing fund of the MMBB (Minister and Missionaries Benefit Board) of the American Baptist Church USA The address is MMBB, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115-0049