Richard Francis Cronin 1917-2003

CRONIN, NICHOLS, GROENEWOLD, BRITTNER

Posted By: Darcy Schultz (email)
Date: 3/30/2012 at 01:11:51

Birth: Oct. 14, 1917
Sibley
Osceola County
Iowa, USA
Death: Feb. 18, 2003
Sibley
Osceola County
Iowa, USA

Richard "Biz" Francis Cronin was born October 14, 1917 at Sibley, IA the son of Frank and Margaret (Nichols) Cronin, her married Loretta Groenewold on March 7, 1942, He was a life long resident of Osceola county living in Sibley and Melvin with the exception of four years in Minnesota as a child. He was employed as a farm laborer, four years as a cream hauler and one year as a truck driver before being inducted in to the Army in 1942. He served in the Aviation Engineers attached to the 825th division of the Army in England during World War II. In 1944 he was discharged. He was a delivery truck driver for Osceola Coop Oil Co. for thirty years. After retirement he drove truck for farmers. He was a member of St. Andrew's Catholic Church and was a charter member of the council 7900 Knights of Columbus in Hartley, IA. He was a charter member of the William F. Allard Post #7373 V.F.W. of Sibley and the George E. Mudge Post #324 American Legion of Sibley. Biz died this past Sunday morning at the age of eighty-five at the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley.
He is survived by Loretta of Sibley; five sons and their families Ron and Mary of Corwith, IA: Robert and Rosemary of LeMars, IA: Rodney and Marsha of Larchwood, IA: Ray and Terri Meyer and Rick and Joy Verrips of Melvin: along with their seven grandchildren; six great grandchildren; two brothers, Eugene and Betty Cronin of Long Beach, CA; and Donald and Irene Cronin of Hemmit, CA; and one sister, Margie Brittner of Monte Bella, CA and a sister-in-law, Jean Cronin of Gold Beach, OR.
Richard was welcomed into Heaven by his parents, Frank and Margaret; one brother, Maurice; a brother and sister in law, Edward and Myrtle Groenewold, and one brother in law, George Brittner.