Cloudy, 37° F
Robert E. Croft was born May 30, 1943, in Powell, Wyoming, to Robert C. and Evelyn Sessions Croft. He was the first child and an amazing “Big” brother to four more siblings.
Bob was raised on the family farm in Powell. He loved everything outdoors and indoors and was soon nicknamed “Doc” by his mother, because he was always caring for a wounded critter. If he wasn’t doctoring some animal, he was raising one to sell as a pet. Bob excelled in 4-H and FFA in his youth and graduated in 1961 from Powell High School. He then attended Northwest College.
In 1963, he was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Shreveport Louisiana Mission, later transferring to the Western States Mission in Denver, Colorado. It was while serving that he gained his testimony of Jesus Christ and his increasing love of service.
He began attending the University of Wyoming in 1965, and there he met his eternal sweetheart, Rena Petersen, from Jackson, Wyoming. They were married Dec. 16, 1966 in the Idaho Falls Temple. They continued to attend UW and would spend their summers in Grand Teton National Park where Bob was employed. He completed his Master’s Degree in Microbiology and Parasitology in 1973.
In 1974, the family moved to Lovell to their country home. It was an amazing place to raise their five children- Rob, Vicki, Darece, Joy, and Allen. Bob owned and operated Northwest Analytical Lab and Computers for 38 years. Through these busy years, Bob was a part of all that his children did. Family was first. He was passionate about sharing his love of nature, wildlife, and the Big Horn Basin with his family and many others. He taught his posterity and many others about the great outdoors and loved helping someone catch their first fish, study an owl casting or spark their curiosity!
Bob had a great passion for Big Horn Reservoir. In the 1990s, he and others began studying the whys and why nots of water levels in the lake. He spent hours walking the canyon rims and dry river banks taking pictures. In 2006, he spearheaded the organization of Friends of Big Horn Lake and served as director until 2012. He strongly believed that we, as citizens, can make a difference: “offering solutions works better than complaining.”
Lifelong service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints included (among other things) Cub Scouts, Young Men’s, Bishop, and a member of the Stake Presidency of the Lovell Wyoming Stake. The past seven years were spent with Rena traveling northern Wyoming and southern Montana as Area Temple and Family History Advisors. At the time of his passing, Bob was helping others preserve their memories through pictures and audio stories.
He is survived by his wife Rena; his children, Rob and Michelle Croft, Vicki and Bryan Allen, Darece and Ken Grant, Joy and Dak Fike, and Allen andAmber Croft; his siblings, Bill and Kathy Croft, Marlene Sorensen, Gaye and Frank Barrett; 25 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren, with four sweet ones on the way. Since his AML diagnosis in September, he has had precious time with all of his family!
Bob as preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Evelyn Croft; Rena’s parents, Charlie and Hilda Petersen; sister, Betty Ilg; brother-in-law, Lynn Sorensen; granddaughter Aaliyah Lopez-Croft; and nephew, Jeremy Croft.
Special thanks to so many for their love and support, including NBH Infusion Center and Stillwater Hospice.
Donations may be made to the NBHH Foundation - Infusion Center, memo - Bob Croft
Services will be held Dec.10, 2022 at the Lovell Wyoming Stake Center at 10 a.m. Viewing is Friday 6-7:30 p.m. at Haskell Funeral Home.
