Rodney “Rod” Bradford Croom, Jr, of Wilmington, NC, died December 30, 2022.
Rod played baseball for The Citadel and married the love of his life, Barbara Jean Brown in The Citadel Chapel following graduation. They celebrated 53 years together prior to her passing in 2012.
He served as an active duty U.S. Army officer in Field Artillery as well as Army Special Forces in the Reserves, earning the coveted Green Beret. He was honorably discharged in 1967.
He worked for Sears from Tennessee to South Carolina and many locations in Florida including Orlando, Key West, Hollywood, Miami, and Pembroke Pines. As a favorite hobby, he enjoyed saltwater fishing along the East Coast and together, Rod and Jean returned to Wilmington, NC upon retirement from Sears.
Rod taught Sunday School, served as a deacon and was on the finance committee in numerous churches. Rod and Jean attended Masonboro Baptist Church in Wilmington for nearly 20 years.
Croom is survived by his second wife, Jean, his daughter Kym, a resident of Fayetteville, NC, and his son Keith, who served as an Army Chaplain, and followed “Pop” in the tradition of becoming a Special Forces Green Beret, and Keith’s wife, Kelly; two grandsons – Caleb married to Morgan, and Collin.
Posted in: From Family
Posted on: 2023-01-17
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