Bert Croft was born in 1882 to a German immigrant father, Augustus Groff, and an Irish-Scottish mother, Louisa Dickey. The family lived in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for 18 years and in 1889, at the recommendation of Augustus' doctor that he needed ocean air, they moved to Corvallis, Oregon, where they purchased 131 acres of land. But by 1901 when he was 19, Bert and his 8 siblings were orphaned. Bert worked at day labor jobs in the Albany-Brownsville area where his older Croft brothers lived and in 1912, married May Martha Reeves. The couple moved to Beaverton and then Portland where they raised their four sons. Bert was a hard worker and along with his brother, Wilbert, shingled many roofs in the Portland area. He taught his oldest son the trade, and Eddie went to work with "pa" at the age of 15 at the beginning of the Depression. Because Bert never owned a car, they carried their tools in a bucket and rode the street car to jobs around the city. When he wasn't working, he enjoyed sitting in his big overstuffed chair listening to baseball games on the big console radio. He was a humble man, a devoted worker, more comfortable in flannel shirts and suspenders, never took a "vacation," and even during the tough times, managed to support his family as he could. He and May had four sons: Eddie, Donald, Howard, and Kenneth who all served in WWII. S/1 Howard perished in July, 1943, while serving aboard the USS Gwin (DD-433), which was torpedoed during the Second Battle of Kula Gulf -- the Battle of Kolombangara.
Bert Croft left his mark on Portland with the many roofs he shingled over the years and the fine sons he raised who all served our country and became productive contributors to society. In his early 70's, Bert was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in 1955, passed away at home two days after Christmas. Although he was a product of a very hard life and never rich in material things, he lived a life of quiet achievement without complaint.
Bert is the great-grandfather of SCPO US Navy SEAL (Ret.) Tyrone Snowden Woods, civilian hero of the Battle of Benghazi, September 12, 2012.
Bert Croft left his mark on Portland with the many roofs he shingled over the years and the fine sons he raised who all served our country and became productive contributors to society. In his early 70's, Bert was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in 1955, passed away at home two days after Christmas. Although he was a product of a very hard life and never rich in material things, he lived a life of quiet achievement without complaint.
Bert is the great-grandfather of SCPO US Navy SEAL (Ret.) Tyrone Snowden Woods, civilian hero of the Battle of Benghazi, September 12, 2012.
Bert Croft was born in 1882 to a German immigrant father, Augustus Groff, and an Irish-Scottish mother, Louisa Dickey. The family lived in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for 18 years and in 1889, at the recommendation of Augustus' doctor that he needed ocean air, they moved to Corvallis, Oregon, where they purchased 131 acres of land. But by 1901 when he was 19, Bert and his 8 siblings were orphaned. Bert worked at day labor jobs in the Albany-Brownsville area where his older Croft brothers lived and in 1912, married May Martha Reeves. The couple moved to Beaverton and then Portland where they raised their four sons. Bert was a hard worker and along with his brother, Wilbert, shingled many roofs in the Portland area. He taught his oldest son the trade, and Eddie went to work with "pa" at the age of 15 at the beginning of the Depression. Because Bert never owned a car, they carried their tools in a bucket and rode the street car to jobs around the city. When he wasn't working, he enjoyed sitting in his big overstuffed chair listening to baseball games on the big console radio. He was a humble man, a devoted worker, more comfortable in flannel shirts and suspenders, never took a "vacation," and even during the tough times, managed to support his family as he could. He and May had four sons: Eddie, Donald, Howard, and Kenneth who all served in WWII. S/1 Howard perished in July, 1943, while serving aboard the USS Gwin (DD-433), which was torpedoed during the Second Battle of Kula Gulf -- the Battle of Kolombangara.
Bert Croft left his mark on Portland with the many roofs he shingled over the years and the fine sons he raised who all served our country and became productive contributors to society. In his early 70's, Bert was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in 1955, passed away at home two days after Christmas. Although he was a product of a very hard life and never rich in material things, he lived a life of quiet achievement without complaint.
Bert is the great-grandfather of SCPO US Navy SEAL (Ret.) Tyrone Snowden Woods, civilian hero of the Battle of Benghazi, September 12, 2012.
Bert Croft left his mark on Portland with the many roofs he shingled over the years and the fine sons he raised who all served our country and became productive contributors to society. In his early 70's, Bert was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in 1955, passed away at home two days after Christmas. Although he was a product of a very hard life and never rich in material things, he lived a life of quiet achievement without complaint.
Bert is the great-grandfather of SCPO US Navy SEAL (Ret.) Tyrone Snowden Woods, civilian hero of the Battle of Benghazi, September 12, 2012.
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