Native Ardmoreite, Robert H. McCrory has gone to his reward, or as he would have said, “gone to my next assignment”, on March 9, 2018. He was the first to admit he led a charmed life, or in religious terms, “a blessed life.” Robert was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma January 13, 1924, he passed at the address where was born, 94 years, 1 month and 26 days later, that he had returned to in 1981. The son of Jean L. and Arthur K. McCrory, he was the grandson of Ardmore pioneers H. C. and Mary A. Ledbetter.
A graduate of Ardmore High School, the class of 1941, Robert went to aviation mechanic school and was employed by Pan American Airways for the next thirty-seven years as part of Pan-Am. During World War II Robert served in the U. S. Navy, and received an Honorable Discharge at the war’s end.
Working around Europe for several years, Robert met Suzanne Lilianne Pucci. Following a whirlwind romance, they were married in Nice, France, October 17, 1950, beginning their lives together for the next sixty-five years. The young couple then went to Spain for a few weeks and on to Africa for the next year, most of which was spent in the Belgian Congo. Upon their return to the U.S.A. Suzanne established her American citizenship.
Robert represented Pan-Am in airline industry activities as liaison with other airlines, airplane manufacturers and contributed to decisions in new aircraft design and purchase.
As his career advanced he ascended into the executive level and turned toward Pan-Am’s support resources and the equipment aspects of the airline business. The last few years he served as Vice-President of Ground Operations, with worldwide responsibility. He retired in 1980 and returned to Ardmore, where it all began, at the address of his grandparents and the place of his birth.
In Ardmore he contributed regularly to the online “This and That Newsletter” provided by Butch Bridges at www.OklahomaHistory.net , in which he recounted interesting and amusing historical stories, facts and information about the early days of Ardmore.
During his working life Robert was only active in the Aviation organizations and the Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE. He also held memberships in the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Sons of the American Revolution, all by virtue of ancestral descent; he was also was a member of the First United Methodist Church and was a 32nd Degree Mason.
In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by his wife, Suzanne, October 27, 2015.
Robert is survived by his two children, Steve McCrory, and his two sons, Justin and Ryan McCrory; and Stacy McCrory Woolley, her husband, Tim and their daughter, Natalie Woolley.
The family will host a time of visitation and support for family and friends, Wednesday evening from 6 to 7 p.m. at Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. in the Centennial Chapel of Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home conducted by grandson, Ryan McCrory. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers memorials in Roberts name be made to Cross Timbers Hospice.
Services are entrusted to Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home and Crematory, where condolences to the family may be sent online at www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com.
from http://www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com/obituary/robert-mccrory