James Adamson Crookston II

The former Jim Crookston was born January 15, 1946, in Benld, Illinois, to Rena (Moretti) and James Crookston. Jim graduated from Mexico High School in his hometown of Mexico, Missouri in 1963 and then from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri in 1967 with a BA in Chemistry. After graduation he received a commission in the United States Air Force serving in active duty from November 17, 1967- June 4, 1972.

In 1970, living in Tiburon, CA, he met Susan Hoppe while training at Travis Air Force Base. After a brief courtship they married on June 7, 1970 in Sausalito, CA. He was deployed to Vietnam from June 1971- June 1972 where he piloted an O2A as a Forward Air Controller. His unit supported the Army 101st Airborne Division based first in Camp Evans near Quang Tri then Da Nang Airbase. During one of his missions, Jim was the first person to observe the mass invasion of South Vietnam known as the Easter Offensive of April 1972.

After resigning his commission with the USAF, Jim began his 31-year career with Delta Airlines where he attained the ranks of Captain and Line Check Airman. He was first briefly based in New Orleans before settling in Atlanta where daughters, Laura, Jennifer, and Kathryn were raised. In addition to his commercial airline career, Jim ran a residential general contracting company while also attending law school prior to passing the Georgia State bar in 1978. During this time, Jim was an active member of Dunwoody United Methodist Church.

Approaching retirement, he and Sue moved to Florida in 1996. They lived in Seaside then Watercolor Beach and enjoyed many wonderful family gatherings.

In 2008, their family expanded with the arrival of grandchildren. Over the next 13 years five grandsons and one granddaughter came along, providing much joy and many adventures for Jim and the family. By 2013, Jim and Sue had children and grandchildren across the country in Tennessee, Colorado and California and decided to settle part time in Boulder, CO where Katie and her family live. It was important to Jim to be close to family and watch the grandchildren grow up. He was a regular attendant at basketball and soccer games and a fishing companion for his grandsons. In his retirement, Jim taught himself classic guitar and kept himself healthy, taking up a very fulfilling road biking routine. Until 2020 he rode his bike up to 30 miles a day, 3-4 days a week on the local trails in Boulder and 30A in Florida. Throughout his adult life he was an avid fly fisherman across the country and around the world.

In late 2019, Jim faced his diagnosis of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, which progressed into acute myeloid leukemia in early 2021, with courage and determination. The doctors and nurses at CU Anschutz Hospital supported him along with many visits from family and friends. He died at home after fighting the disease for a year and a half.

Jim is survived by his wife of 51 years, Sue; three daughters, Laura Deleot and her husband Land Deleot of Nashville, TN, Jenny Crookston Harrell and her husband Tom Harrell of Moraga, CA, and Katie Birkholz and her husband Matt Birkholz of Boulder, CO; six grandchildren, Thornton and Clay Deleot, Nolan and Veronica Harrell, and Beau and Xander Birkholz; his brother Dan Crookston of Sedona, AZ; his brother-in-law Michael Steffenson of Davenport, IA; as well as four nieces and nephews.

In celebration of Jim’s remarkable life, there will be a memorial gathering later this summer in Watercolor, Florida.

In lieu of flowers Jim’s family invites you to make a gift in support of Colorado Trout Unlimited

https://coloradotu.salsalabs.org/2020donate/index.html or in support of Pollyea Leukemia Research Fund at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. https://giving.cu.edu/fund/pollyea-leukemia-research-fund.