Emory Christopher Crooke (1922 - 1979)

Born 10 Apr 1922 in Pensacola, Florida, USA

Ancestors

Died 11 Feb 1979 at age 56 in Saraland, Alabama, USA

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Biography

Emory Crooke was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Corporal Emory Crooke served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 23 Nov 1942
Unit(s): infantry
Service ended:

This profile is part of the Crooke Name Study.

Emory Crooke has Irish ancestors.

Emory Crooke has German Roots.

Early Life

Emory Christopher Crooke was born to William Crooke and Rachel (Mathis) Crooke in Pensacola, Florida on 10 Apr 1922 ^[1]. His older half-brother, Ruben Emery died shortly before he was born. Emery was named for him.

In 1927, Charlie's father dies, leaving Rachel to tend to the three children alone.

In 1930, Idell, Charlie, Gladys, and Emory live in Kupfrians Park, Florida. Idell is unemployed and the children are too young to work. ^[2]

In 1935, the children still live with their mother. His brother, Charlie, works as a laborer. ^[3]

Military

On 23 Nov 1942, Emery enlisted in the Army to join the WWII war effort. ^[1]

On 12 Sep 1944, PFC Crooke was reported taken as a Prisoner of war by Germany and held in Camp Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12 . ^[4] He was freed in July, 1945.^[5] He left the service on 6 Dec 1945. ^[1] He then re-enlisted on December 22, 1945 as a corporal^[6]

Marriage and Family

When he entered the military in 1945^[6], Emery listed his marital status as single. So, Emery Crooke and Bertha Day married sometime after 1945.

In 1949, the couple has their first child^[7] and they live in Mobile, Alabama. Emery works as a helper at International Paper. ^[8] Bertha is probably working as a nurse already. ^[9]

By 1955, Emery has been promoted to a supervisory position and they live on Baldwin Avenue in Mobile. ^[10]

At some point, Bertha and Emery divorce. I cannot find their divorce papers. Their youngest son was born around 1958 ^[11] and Emery's public directory listings for 1958 and 1959 do not mention Bertha, so I believe it was around this time they separated. ^[12][13] though he does still work for International Paper.

But they reunite on 25 Jul 1974 ^[14]

Together, the couple had five children.

Their marriage ends a few years later when Emery passes away at 56 years old in Saraland, Alabama.

Appearance

Emery Crooke was 5'11" with blonde hair and blue eyes.^[15]

Death

He died on February 11, 1979 ^[16].^[1] and is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens, Saraland, Mobile County, Alabama ^[17]

Mentions in Other Sources

1. Mention in mother's obituary ^[18]
2. Son's Social Security: ^[19]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Ancestry Record 2441 #6675139 Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SRX2-L3Z : accessed 15 March 2019), Elmer Crooks in household of Idel Crooks, Kupfrians Park, Escambia, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 5, sheet 12A, line 47, family 264, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 315; FHL microfilm 2,340,050.
3. ↑ "Florida State Census, 1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNVS-BSG : 2 February 2018), Charlie Crookes in household of Mrs. W A Crookes, Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; citing line 29, State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm 2,425,156.
4. ↑ United States, World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1945, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29D-MY58 : 18 February 2016), Emery C Crooke, 12 Sep 1944; citing Military Service, Germany, NARA NAID 1263907 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ Killed in War. Servicemen of Area Are CasualtiesPensacola News Journal Pensacola, Florida 20 Jun 1945, Wed • Page 4
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8YM-8WQ : 5 December 2014), Emery C Crooke, enlisted 22 Dec 1945, Cp Blanding, Florida, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
7. ↑ Her marriage certificate lists her birthyear around 1949 Mobile, Alabama. "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1Q-CRKS : 28 November 2018), Emery Christopher Crooke in entry for George Riley Low and Linda Diane Douglas, 21 Nov 1981; citing Montgomery, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,893,806.
8. ↑ ImageMobile, Alabama, City Directory, 1949
9. ↑ https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Day-11628
10. ↑ ImageMobile, Alabama, City Directory, 1949
11. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1Z-1X26 : 28 November 2018), Emery Christopher Crooke in entry for Tommy Lee Crooke and Mary Willene Courtney, 11 Oct 1977; citing Montgomery, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,893,678.
12. ↑ ImageMobile, Alabama, City Directory, 1959
13. ↑ ImageMobile, Alabama, City Directory, 1958
14. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG18-TWWZ : 28 November 2018), Emery Christopher Crooke and Bertha Mae Crooke, 25 Jul 1974; citing Montgomery, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,893,623.
15. ↑ "Florida, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2C5-JLLT : 16 August 2019), Emery Christopher Crooke, 30 Jun 1942; records extracted by FamilySearch and images digitized by Ancestry; citing Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, United States, Draft Registration, NARA NAID 7644725. Records of the Selective Service System, 1926 - 1975, RG 147. National Archives at St. Louis, Missouri, n.d.
16. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J146-MWT : 19 May 2014), Emery Crooke, Feb 1979; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing)
17. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50432084
18. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49986846/idell-crooke-obituary/ Idell Crooke Obituary Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, Florida 24 Nov 1939, Fri • Page 3
19. ↑ "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:HSKD-DK1M : 10 February 2023), Entry for T L Crooke, .

    Name:	Tommy Lee Crooke
    Death Date:	15 Jan 1989
    Birth Date:	7 Dec 1957
    Birthplace:	Mobile, Mobile, Alabama, United States
    Race:	White
    Father's Name:	Emery C Crooke
    Mother's Name:	Berthia M Day
    Event Type:	Social Program Correspondence

• "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG14-WHL2 : 28 November 2018), Emery Christopher Crooke in entry for Thomas Dewayne Morgan and Linda Diane Crooke, 10 Jan 1968; citing Montgomery, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,893,512.