Obituary of Thomas "Tom" LeRoy Crook

Thomas "Tom" LeRoy Crook was born October 15, 1940, in Sand Springs, Oklahoma to Jess Elmer and Esther Purinton Crook. He died at home in Bastrop, LA at age 69. He graduated from Cleveland High School, Cleveland, OK in 1958, went to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK and graduated in 1963 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering. Following graduation, he enlisted in the Army Reserve and received training at Fort Polk, LA. He later transferred to the Air Force Reserve and completed his military obligation at Barksdale AFB, LA. Following his military training, he was offered and accepted a job at International Paper's Bastrop Mill and worked there over two years. He transfered to the Louisiana Mill in 1966, working in the Technical, Quality Control, and Finished Products departments until retirement April 1, 1999 as Paper Mill Superintendent. Tom was preceded in death by his parents: Jess Elmer and Esther Purinton Crook; paternal grandparents: George Hokely and Clarsie Mae Widener Crook, Maternal grandparents: Henry Hoyt and Martha Harcum Purinton; his uncle Harry F. Purinton of Sturgeon Bay, WI and Uncle Melvin E. and Aunt Eleanor Dode Purinton of Barrington, IL. He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Shelvia Chain Crook; his sons, Edward (Eddie) Wayne Crook of Shreveport, LA and William (Billy) Edwin Crook of Bastrop, LA and granddaughter Courtney Danielle Crook of Geismar, LA, daughter and son-in-law; Clarissa Aileen Crook and Brian David Gallo and grandsons Joshua Gallo and Nicholas Gallo of Arlington, VA; his three children by marriage; daughter Karen Denise Murphy of Geismar, LA, daughter and son-in-law Joni Murphy Gross and Fletcher Mark Gross and granddaughters; Shelvia Maureen Gross and Victoria Glynn Gross of Geismar, LA, and son Joel Keith Murphy and grandson Cade Logan Murphy and granddaughter Brooke Sheridan Murphy of Bossier City, LA; brother and sister-in-law George A. And Ruth Coyne Chain of West Monroe, LA and sisters and brothers-in-law, Shirley Chain Richards and Lloyd W. (Buddy) Richards and their children, Dottie Chain Musgrove and Stephen L. (Butch) Musgrove of Bastrop and their children and special Uncle and Aunt-in-law, Carl and Lou Birdsong Chain and their children. Also surviving is his aunt Frieda Kalms Purinton of Sturgeon Bay, WI, cousins, Helen Bacon and children of Sturgeon Bay, WI and Richard and Mary Jo Richter Purinton and their children of Washington Island, WI; James and Chris Corcoran Purinton and their sons of Chicago, IL, and Martha Purinton Bennett of Hobe Sound, FL; and his best friends from high school to now, Paul and Sharon Pry of Cleveland, OK and Dan and Mary Sue Caskey of Alvin, TX. Family visitation will be from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm and public visitation will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Thursday April, 29, 2010 at Bethel Baptist Church on Crossett Road, Bastrop, LA. Services will be at 10:00 am Friday April 30, 2010 at Bethel Baptist Church, officiated By Dr. L.H. McCollough and Rev. Al Duncan with interment to follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, Crossett Road, Bastrop, LA. Pallbearers will be nephews-in-law: Kenny Ross Chain, Kevin Chain, Jim Hardy Chain, Heath Chain, Andy Richards, Greg Musgrove, Tim Musgrove and Todd Musgrove. Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Parker, Tommy Carpenter, Charles Wall, Charles Arant, Jimmy Garrett, John T. Murphree, Claude Tumlison, and members of the Adult Men's Sunday School Class at Bethel Baptist Church: Lloyd (Buddy) Richards, Stephen (Butch) Musgrove, Carl Chain, David Boone, Hinkie Hudson, Glendol Stanley, Dexter Bryan, Charles Moore, and R.W. Patrick. The family thanks all the wonderful, conscientious doctors and staff who provided their skill during Tom's illness; especially Dr. Marshall Leary and Dr. Weinberger of the Oncology Center of Monroe, LA and Dr. Daniel Karp of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center of Houston, TX. We also wish to thank Southern Care Hospice for their care and all the doctors and nurses at St. Frances Medical Center for their wonderful care during the times he spent there. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home in Monroe, M.D. Anderson in Houston, TX, to St. Judes Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN or the charity of your choice.