William Luckey Crocker, Ed.D., passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Visitation will be Saturday, July 16, from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at Woodmont Baptist Church in Florence. The funeral service will follow at 11:30 a.m. at the church. Dr. Eddy Garner will officiate.
Interment will be at Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Bessemer, Alabama.
Dr. Crocker graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1944, and enlisted in the Navy. He attended the University of Alabama and in 1947 was granted a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry. In 1952, he received an M.A. degree in Secondary Education and in 1958 an Ed.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction with minors in biology and chemistry. In 1983, the University of North Alabama conferred upon him an L.H.D. degree.
From 1947 to 1957, Dr. Crocker was a teacher, principal, and coach in Alabama schools. In 1957, he joined Florence State Teachers College as a professor. In 1960, he was an assistant professor of education at Rutgers University.
In 1961, Dr. Crocker returned to UNA until his retirement in 1983 as the dean of faculty and instruction. After retiring from UNA, he worked for three years at Merrill Lynch. Dr. Crocker served The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for 20 years reviewing and evaluating Latin American schools for accreditation. He also made visits for The Commission on Colleges and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Even after retirement he loved his work.
He also loved UNA and his community. He was a long time member of The University of North Alabama President’s Cabinet and served a term as its chairman. He was a member of the UNA Foundation Board and a member of the UNA Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee. In 2001, UNA presented him with a lifetime achievement award.
Dr. Crocker served on the City of Florence Civil Service Board. He was a 48 year member of the Florence Downtown Lions Club and served a term as president of the club. Recently he received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Dedicated Humanitarian Services. He was a member and past president of the Alabama 60 plus Golfing Association and, for more than 50 years, was a Freemason.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jean Davidson Crocker; son, Luckey and his wife, Rosanne; daughter, Leigh Haley and her husband, Rick; son, Larry and his wife, Phyllis; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Dr. Crocker was an active member of Woodmont Baptist Church for more than 50 years.
Memorial donations may be made to the UNA Foundation or Woodmont Baptist Church.
You may sign the guest register at sprywilliams.com.
