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Robert Cronau
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WILLIAMSBURG - Robert T. Cronau, Jr., 88, died May 1, 2013. He was the son of the late Robert Theodore and Kathryn Darden Cronau. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dorothy Womble Cronau and his sister, Jacqueline Cronau Moser. He is survived by his daughters and their spouses, Kathryn Bearden (James) and Cynthia Lee (Wayne).Bob was born September 19, 1924 in Fort Sam Houston, TX and spent his early years following his father around the country to Army Air Corps bases from Texas to Washington State, and New York to Panama. His family settled in Hampton during his high school years and he graduated from Hampton High School in 1943. After graduation, he immediately enlisted in the Army Air Corps and upon graduation from flight school was sent to the China-Burma-India theater where he flew C47s over the fabled Hump and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. Following the war, he attended the University of Virginia where he graduated with a BS in geology. He later obtained an MS from Randolph Macon. He and his wife, Dottie, moved to Midland, Texas in 1951 where he worked for Amerada Petroleum Company for two short years until the green of Virginia called him home. He returned to Hampton, in 1953, to teach in the Hampton School System. A born teacher, for the next 30 years he enjoyed teaching everything from earth science to physics, algebra to calculus.He loved fishing, sailing, radio control airplanes, sports cars, photography, stamp collecting, and especially amateur radio. He is now silent key N4EHL. He loved holidays, especially Christmas, and was the first up in the morning taking childlike delight in opening his stocking. He lived in Hampton for over 50 years. In his final years, he lived at Heritage Commons in Williamsburg where he will be remembered for long walks with the last of a string of well-loved puppy dogs, his beloved lab, Cinder. The family wishes to thank Ann Bowe of Heritage Commons for her love and support and Steve Burnette of Odyssey Hospice for care during Bob's last months. Services will be private. Online condolences may be expressed at www.nelsencares.com.
.Published in Daily Press on May 5, 2013 |
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Charles Spearman (1969)
Mr. Cronau was as great a teacher as you can have. He inspired me to go into the Air Force, aerospace and other areas I would use the math classes he taught me. He kept telling me I had a good mind, I just needed to use it. He had a way of making numbers make sense. Between him and the science teachers, they gave me my foundation. I could never thank him enough. He will be missed. So for now "Thank you, Mr. Cronau"