George Crook

George Edwin Crook, 90, of Douglasville, Georgia died on November 18, 2015. Edwin was born on September 4, 1925 in Maysville located in Jackson County Georgia. He was the son of Roy and ILA Bell Freeman Crook. He was a long time believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and was Baptist by faith. He taught the Hope Senior Adults Sunday School Class for 17 years at Sunset Hills Baptist Church. He was a 1943 graduate of Maysville High School. George Edwin joined the United States Marines at age 18 during World War II. Two older brothers were already serving in the military. His basic training was conducted at Parris Island, South Carolina. He joined the 3rd Marine Division at Camp Le Jeune, NC. Following their training at Camp LeJeune the 3rd Marines from Camp LeJeune assembled with the 3rd marines in Hawaii on Thanksgiving Day in 1944. A few days before Christmas of that year they boarded ship bound for Iwo Jima. The 3rd Marines landed on Iwo Jima on February 18th, 1945. The initial landing force attacked Iwo Jima that day and entered into a battle that would go down in history as having lost the most casualties in a Marine Corps battle. On February 22 the 3rd marine Corp. Replacements went on the island of Iwo Jima to take the places of those who had died trying to take control of the island. Edwin was a member of the replacement group and he was 19 years old. This group of young replacements achieved the longest advance that was made by any platoon of 700 yards in one day. Those historic days in history ended when the United States won control of Iwo Jima and raised the historic American flag on Mount Suribachi on Feb 23, 1945! Edwin watched the American flag raised on the mountain above him from the battle field below. The surviving 3rd marines boarded ship to return to camp in Hawaii on March 18th, 1945. The survivors returned to the 3rd Marines camp on Maui without enough combat troops to fill the non commissioned officers ranks within the division. It was on Maui that the news arrived to these survivors of Iwo Jima that the United States had dropped the atomic bomb and the Japanese had surrendered. World War II was over. Edwin lived to tell his children and grandchildren of the joy the troops shared that night when the war ended! Edwin served in the military police Battalion on Okinawa, Japan until he was discharged in June of 1946. At age 20 he had served his county as a United States Marine and fought in a historic Marine Corp battle. Edwin joined the National Guard in Elberton GA after his discharge from the marines. The Korean War broke out and he rejoined the Marines saying if he was going to fight he wanted to fight with his “band of brothers.” He went once again to camp LeJeune and was sent to Quantico VA to work in the marine exchange. He met Frances Maureen Hughs who was a marine PVT who worked in the Exchange and married her in 1952. They live in Quantico, VA., Camp Le Jeune, and Oceanside, California before returning to Edwin’s native Georgia. They were blessed with a 42 year marriage. Frances died in 1994. They were parents to five children, who gave them 5 grandsons who gave them six great grandchildren. Edwin is survived by his second wife Betty Joe Mathis-Cook. They were married for 19 years. Betty Joe used her skills as an RN to provide oversight and hands on nursing care to Edwin during the past fifteen years following a stroke that destroyed his short term memory. Loss of his short term memory did not stop his enjoyment of life, with Betty Joe’s help and his constant list of things to do he continued to travel, entertain and tell others that Jesus loved them. He loved to tell the old, old story of how Jesus died for our sins! George Edwin Crook served in the United States Marines and National Guard for twenty-Three and one half years. He served in Japan during the United States Occupation. He served one tour of duty in Vietnam during the war. This would be his last war before retirement. After his retirement he worked 15 years for Oxford Industries. He served as primary caretaker for his wife Frances for many years until her death. He enjoyed wood working, art, gardening and travel. John Wane was his hero and he watch with glee as John over came all of his foes.. His happiest times were certainly at family gatherings for holidays or his beloved family reunions. After all of the wars and travels over the Pacific Ocean he was happiest at home. Edwin was a compassionate man who cared for children and widows of the church. He worked in the nursery and rocked many of the churches babies to sleep. He provided gifts to the widows at Christmas and other holidays and cared for many of them until their deaths. He was beloved and will be greatly miss as the leader of the Crook family. In addition to his parents and his first wife, he is preceded in death by his brothers, W.T. Terrell, James Crook and Harold Crook; sisters-in-law, Georgia and Dale Crook. He is survived by his second wife, Betty Joe Mathis-Crook of Douglasville; five children and their spouses, Dawn Crook Forrest and Mike Forrest of Dallas, GA, Robin Crook Jeansonne and Bruce Jeansonne of Dallas, GA, Thomas and Denise Crook of Dallas, GA, Sherrie Crook Wiley and Paul Wiley of Duluth, GA, and Larry and Cathy Crook of Talking Rock, GA; stepson, Marc and Elyse Hammett of Atlanta; brother and sister-in-law, Grady and Hilda Crook of Gainesville, GA; would have had if he could have had, Joey and Shannon Walker of Oxford, MS, Anna and Nathanial Thornton of Douglasville, GA, and Joey Peterson of Rockford, IL; sisters-in-law, Nancy “Dee” Crook and Jerri Crook of Savannah, GA; five grandsons, Cory and Laurie Bell, Jeremy and Robin Ginn, Ian Ginn, Christopher Wiley, and Stephen Wiley; step-grandchild, Leah Hammett; adopted grandchildren, Anna Walker and Samantha Walker; six great-grandchildren, Dylan, Nathan, Allison, and Tanner Ginn, and Kami Bell and Allie Bell; several nieces and nephews also survive. The family will receive friends at Jones-Wynn Funeral Home in Douglasville, Thursday, November 19, 2015 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Funeral Services will be conducted Friday, November 20, 2015 at 2:00 PM at the Chapel of Jones-Wynn Funeral Home in Douglasville with Rev. Ikey Watson and Sharon Allbritton officiating. Interment will follow at Sunrise Memorial Gardens with military honors. Messages of condolence to the family may be sent at www.jones-wynn.com. Jones-Wynn Funeral Home & Crematory of Douglasville is in charge of arrangements. 770-942-2311