Robert F. Crose

Robert F. Crose, respected Yakima pediatrician entered his rest in Christ on February 24th at the age of 91. He was born in Eastern Central Iowa in 1920, the second child of J.J. and Edith Crose. He graduated from the University of Iowa, then attended UCLA for graduate school. While at graduate school he encountered sufficient problems that made him realize that he needed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. (In a class taught by the legendary Henrietta Mears.) He asked Christ into his life in May of 1941, while he was on his bicycle and looking up into the starry sky. And he knew it was real because his life changed dramatically. That summer the pastor of his church asked him to be a counselor for some high school youth. He was asked to be their Sunday school teacher for the following year. He left that program to in role in medical school at University of California, Berkeley, where he met his first wife, Billie (Margaret.) He received his M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco and his residency from Children’s Orthopedic in Seattle, Washington. He served as a physician in the Navy at the end of World War II. He moved with his family to Yakima in 1951, having a practice in the Yakima Valley Medical Center until 1990. After closing the office he worked part time for another 10 years, retiring at the age of 80.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and was a founding member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. He was an elder and taught the men’s Bible Study Fellowship for ten years as well as teaching Bethel Bible teachers. He also enjoyed singing tenor in the church choir until 2010. He was also a member of the Lion’s Club and the Community Chorus of Yakima.

His three children all grew up in Yakima, graduated from Eisenhower High School, to college and married. He was preceded in death by his first wife Billie in 1987. Billie had been paralyzed in an automobile accident in 1971 and he cared faithfully for her until she died 16 years later. He married Mary Lou Mitchell in 1988. They had worked together since 1964 and she was widowed two years before Billie died. During their twenty three years together they enjoyed many wonderful travels, some of them with children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by parents, his older sister, Jean, and younger sister, Helen, his younger brother Leonard Crose and his wife, Billie, (Margaret). He is survived by his second wife Mary Lou Mitchell Crose, his two sisters, Caroline Crose and Martha Toal in South Carolina, and three daughters: Peggie (Clark) Robinson, Joyce (John) McClements and Roberta (Bob) Ashbaugh and eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren, also Mary Lou’s three daughters and seven step-grandchildren as well as several nieces and nephews including Anne Crose Schilperoort, of Yakima.

Those wishing to give memorials may do so to Lutheran World Relief, Children's Orthopedic Hospital of Seattle, or the charity of your choice.

Visitation will be held at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel on Friday, March 2, 2012 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Central Lutheran Church, 1604 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. To celebrate the life of Dr. Crose visit www.keithandkeith.com.