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THE COMPLETE AUTOBIOGRAPHY of Robert N. Cronk
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
ROBERT NORWOOD CRONK, SR.
BY
ROBERT NORWOOD CRONK, SR.
(NOTE: THIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY CONSISTS OF SIX PAGES. SEE BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE TO CONTINUE.)
First Edition
This book was written by me so that my children
and their children will have a record of the
life of their father or grandfather and so that they
can better understand the man who called
them son. It will also serve as a source of information
for anyone preparing family records in the future.
Contact:
Robert N. CRONK, Sr.
Tel.: (813) 884-5033
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Printed by:
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE NO.
DEDICATION 5
PRELUDE 6
CHAPTER ONE (Brothers & Sisters) 7
CHAPTER TWO (Growing Up Years) 13
CHAPTER THREE (In The Military - WW - 2) 17
CHAPTER FOUR (Meeting And Marrying My Wife - Includes Our Children) 23
(Places Of Employment)
CHAPTER FIVE (My Accomplishments) 33
CHAPTER SIX (Closing Remarks) 43
AN ODE TO MY WIFE 46
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my wife, Inez Steed CRONK, who has steadfastly stood by my side, through thick and thin, for the past nearly sixty-one years. We have had sad times, bad times, even desperation times, but comparatively speaking, they have been few. We have known many friends during our marriage, and still cherish each and every one of them. Although there were sad times, such as the deaths of our parents and siblings, and also some of our friends, the majority of our memories are filled with the good times, the happy times, and the fun times.
Without our two children, Robert N. CRONK, Jr., and Shirley Ann CRONK Spencer, we both believe that our life would have been a mere existence. Our children, and our grandchildren, Jason, Wesley (Robert’s children), Jaxon and Riley (Shirley’s children), have made our life come alive and given us reason to live. They are the sustenance on which our lives thrived. We dearly love each one of them, and thank them for profusely sharing their lives with us.
This will be one of the most interesting books you have ever read. Not because it is about my favorite person (me), but because of the diversified way in which my life was led, it serves as an inspiration for others.
Auto-Biographies come and go, and usually they are so dull, they would not cut hot butter. Dull ones tend to cause you to get a lot of sleep of which you would otherwise miss. Interesting ones tend to provide an hour or two of special entertainment, rob you of sleep, and still make you feel good. So you see, the therapeutic values are kicking in already.
This story begins at the beginning (naturally) and outlines the life of the author, his triumphs and downfalls. Nothing is left out. It seems that interesting people have interesting lives and I hope you will enjoy this chronicle of events in my life. Included herein are my growing up years, my time in the military during World War Two, how I met my wife (to be), the jobs I held, and finally my retirement.
Auto-Biographies are written as an ego thing, and this one is certainly no exception. Although I am not proud of certain facets of my life, I am extremely proud of some of the others, the most important of which is my marriage to Inez which has now been going on for almost fifty-six years, and destined for many more (I hope).
The main reason a person writes his own auto-biography is because he wants to leave a record of his life for his family and descendants when he goes on down the road (to wherever he is going). This would be a valuable asset in case someone (in the future) decides to write a book called “FAMILY TREE”, in which he would be a part.
CHAPTER ONE
In the prelude, I said that I would begin this book at the beginning, and there is no beginning earlier than my birth. So that will be my start.
My birth was a momentous occasion in my home town of Savannah, Georgia. The date was January 1, 1924, and I made the newspaper in Savannah by being the first baby born in Savannah that year. The time was recorded at five seconds past midnight. I was told that they started giving out prizes the following year (1925) for the first baby born, and so started the trend that has lasted continuously during my lifetime. I call it a “near miss”.
Taking into consideration the fact that Savannah, Georgia, is in the Eastern Time Zone (thereby eliminating everyone born in the other three time zones), i claim to be the first person born in the United States in the year 1924. In order for someone else to be first, it would be necessary for them to have been born within the first four seconds of the year, and, although not an impossible thing to do, it is highly unlikely. That is why I am claiming to be the first person born in the United States in 1924. The Guinness Book of Records does not have a listing under this category.
MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Both my mother and my father were native Savannahians, both born into more or less aristocratic families. My father, James Augustine CRONK, Sr., worked in the freight offices of the Seaboard Airline Railroad (Chief Bill and Rate Clerk) and retired at the mandatory age of seventy. He started work for the Central of Georgia Railroad at the tender age of fifteen (I believe as a messenger), and retired from Seaboard Railroad after fifty-five years of railroading service. Mother was born Gertrude Janie MacDONELL, a direct descendant of Ferdinand Donald MacDonell and Sarah PELOT MacDonell, and of their son Alexander Harrison MacDonell and Ann NOWLAN MacDonell.
Her father was Roderick Donald MacDonell.
Mother was born on November 19, 1896, and father preceded her by four years, having been born on August 16, 1892. Mother died of either ovarian cancer or breast cancer on March 31, 1936, at the early age of thirty-nine. This was a devastating event for a boy of twelve years, and I took her death very seriously. It was hard growing up without a mother, and I was especially affected. So were my two brothers and my two sisters, listed below. For the next six years, my dad did a remarkable job of being both mother and father.
Of my sisters and brothers, first, there was Gertrude Rosalie CRONK, born on January 21, 1914. She moved to Miami, Florida, from Savannah about 1937. There she met William Henry WILLIS, Jr., and they were married on April 8, 1938. “Bill” worked as an electrician in Miami until his retirement. In the meantime, Gertrude suffered a brain tumor at the age of fifty-nine, and was operated on to correct the condition. The operation resulted in her becoming paralyzed on her left side, and she remained bedridden for the next thirteen years until her death on July 20, 1986. “Bill” sold their Miami home and moved Gertrude to Arcadia, Florida, so that he could be near his aged sister who lived there. “Bill” was born on April 15, 1915, and had a massive heart attack at his home in Arcadia on January 23, 1983. He died the same day.
I was appointed by the courts as “Guardian” to Gertrude, and I moved her to Tampa to a brand new nursing home. I sold her home in Arcadia to insure having the funds necessary for her care. Gertrude lived for three and one half years more before her death. She was buried in Arcadia next to “Bill”, which was her strong desire. Gertrude and “Bill” had no children.
My sister Margaret Jane CRONK, born on June 7, 1917, also moved to Miami from Savannah about 1940 and there met her husband-to-be. His name was Carl Jackson SHEFFIELD, a grocery clerk, and they married on May 18, 1941. Carl was considerably older than Margaret, having been born on October 3, 1906. Carl, too, was an electrician, working for Pan American Airways in Miami for many years, and after his retirement, worked very hard around his house. In addition to keeping his yard beautiful all year long, he also kept his house in good repair, which required a considerable amount of work. Margaret and Carl had three children, all boys, who upon reaching manhood, moved from Miami to three different locations.
The oldest, Robert Carlton Sheffield, born on February 16, 1943, moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and now lives in Niceville, Florida, near Fort Walton. Bob married Evelyn (Lyn) Sloan McMASTER, who was born on November 22, 1947. They married on December 29, 1971, and had two children, both boys.
Ryan Christopher Sheffield was born on June 21, 1978, and James McMaster Sheffield was born on May 19, 1984. “Bob” and “Lyn” are both teachers at the Niceville High School.
The second child of Margaret and Carl was named Steven Dale Sheffield, who was born on October 7, 1946. Steve moved to San Jose, California, to seek his fortune. He received his Private Pilot’s License while still living in Miami. In San Jose, he obtained his Commercial License and started flying as a Corporate Pilot. It wasn’t long before he landed a job with American Airlines Express flying routes to nearby destinations, but gaining experience. He was promoted to Co-Pilot on American Airlines main routes, and is now a Captain flying MD-80’s, which is a version of the DC-Nine.
Steve met his future wife while working in California. She was Gertrude (Trudie) JENSEN, born on November 24, 1945, and they were married on December 28, 1974. This union produced two children, first David Carlton Sheffield, born on July 12, 1979, and Philip John Sheffield, born on April 13, 1982. “Trudie” is a high school teacher in San Jose.
The third child of Margaret and Carl was born on December 16, 1955, and received the name Glenn Alan Sheffield. Glenn moved to Birmingham, Alabama, received an Electrical Engineering Degree and pursued his career in that field. He married Susan Jane GWIN on January 1, 1984. Susan was born on April 26, 1953, and, until her retirement in the year 2000, was in charge of all nurses working at the Catholic hospital in Birmingham, a very large institution. They have two children, Matthew Gwin Sheffield born on February 23, 1986, and Lisa Ann Sheffield born on April 2, 1991.
All three of Margaret and Carl’s children graduated from Auburn University in Alabama.
I mention these people because I want you to know my brothers and sisters, and their children. In this way, you will have a better insight into the subject of this auto-biography. Also it is necessary that you learn their names, at least, because I may be referring to them throughout this book.
Not to say that I did not dearly love all of my brothers and sisters, but my brother “Jimmy”, James Augustine CRONK, Jr., was my favorite sibling, and I often used him as a role model. I was always in awe of “Jimmy” because of the exemplary way in which he led his life. His honesty was beyond belief.
Throughout his life, I tried to emulate him, and in doing so, I became a better person than I had ever hoped to be, or ever thought possible.
“Jimmy” was born on November 1, 1921, and was always one of the most popular persons in school. He was a good dancer, had a good personality, and was a top student. He seemed to have many girlfriends, while I seemed to have none. He was a vivacious and outgoing person, with his fellow students, both male and female, eager to be his friend.
He met and married Evelyn HODGES and begat three children, two girls and a boy. Firstborn was Sharon Jane CRONK, born on May 17, 1947, who married James Croft Reed, a Medical Doctor, on June 7, 1968. James Reed was born on March 20, 1942. They had four children, James Croft Reed, II (born November 14, 1970), Peter Stuart Reed (born July 14, 1973), Brent William Reed (born June 23, 1975), and Cameron (Cammie) Meagan Reed (born on February 11, 1980).
Jimmy Cronk’s second child was Linda Lee Cronk, who was born on February 3, 1950. Her husband, Gilles Leonard Kay, Jr., born on February 28, 1955, is an airline Captain flying for U. S. Air. They were married on May 31, 1980. Linda and Gilles have two children, Jonathan Ian Kay (born on January 19, 1982) and Ashley Elizabeth Kay (Adopted - Born on April 17, 1987). Gilles and Linda also had a girl, Lauren Ashley Kay, who was born on April 28, 1985, and died on October 26, 1985, at age six months.
The last child of James and Evelyn Cronk is Richard James Cronk, born on July 24, 1952. Richard’s wife is Jenifer Ann PETERSON (born on April 14, 1964) and they have two children. Hanah Julan Cronk was born on October 13, 1995, and Sarah Ann Cronk was born on June 14, 1999.
And that brings me to my final sibling, Roderick (“Rod”) MacDonell CRONK, Sr. (born on June 22, 1926), who first worked for Tom’s Peanut Company, then, just a couple of years later, moved over to Lance Peanut Company. “Rod” was a very hard working man. He was a route salesman, and originally serviced accounts in the area bordering North Miami to just south of West Palm Beach.
Over the years, “Rod’s” sales ability increased the workload of his assigned area, so much so that his route was cut numerous times because the workload was overwhelming, and new route salesmen were hired for the overload. He finally ended up with just a small area to service, but it was the most lucrative part of his original route.
“Rod” met his future wife in Miami. She was Pauline (Polly) WILLIS (born on March 16, 1926), and Roderick sired three children. After the early and untimely death of Polly, “Rod” became both mother and father to his three children
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