Delwin Rudolph Croom Sr., 86, passed away on Dec. 23, 2008.
He was born Jan. 13, 1922, in Bladen County, N.C., to Minnie Lee Carr Croom and Oscar Arthur Croom; and he grew up in Bolton, N.C.
His parents and two brothers, Clifton and Wendell, and his wife of 65 years, Ann, precede him in death.
During WWII Delwin was a C-47 Troop Transport pilot in the 8th Air Force serving in the European Theater. Following the War, he graduated from North Carolina State University and moved to Hampton to join the NACA/NASA research team where he worked on a variety of airplanes, spacecraft, and other flying concepts. He retired after 36 years of service. He was later inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for his part in the research and development of parawings and hang gliders. For more than 50 years he was an active member of Hampton Baptist Church serving three terms as a Deacon. He was a dedicated member of the Northampton Lions Club, known for working to end preventable blindness. He had a remarkable 47-year perfect attendance record and held many offices, including President. He was honored for his devotion to the Club with the prestigious Fellowship Award. Delwin formed lifelong friendships through his associations with the church, the Lions Club, the Langley Golf Association, and several bridge groups. His family will remember him as kind, compassionate, and generous, and he will remain in our hearts forever.
Friends are encouraged to visit
www.mem.com to share words of comfort with the family..
- Excerpted from the Daily Press on Jan. 12, 2009
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