In Memory

Daniel Crum (Faculty)

Daniel J. Crum, Sr. went to be with the Lord February 16, 2020.  Dan was born on July 21, 1924 in Omaha, NE to Celestial and Raymond Crum, Sr.  He began his life in Downs, KS, moving to Waynesboro, PA when he was six, where he grew up.  He played football and was on the swim team at Waynesboro High School and graduated in 1942.  After graduating, he enlisted in the US Navy, serving on the destroyer the USS LAWS as a torpedoman, Pacific theater, WWII.  He was extremely proud of his service to his country.

He attended the University of Florida graduating with a BS in Education and a minor in PE and later earned his Masters in Administration.  He loved his Florida Gators and was a die hard Gators fan, watching any Gator sporting event that was on TV.

In 1948 he married the love of his life, Ann Templeton, who he met working for his dad at his jewelry store in Plant City, FL.  They were blessed with three children, Nancy, Peggy and Dan, Jr.  They made their first home in Dade City, FL where he was a coach and teacher and established Little League Baseball, taking his team representing Florida to the SE regionals.

In 1955 he brought his family to St. Petersburg, FL to continue his teaching and coaching career at Northeast High School.  In the 29 years of walking the halls of NEHI, Dan influenced many young lives, coached football, swimming and baseball, taught and was head of the social studies department and served as activities director.  While activities director he was honored by the Pinellas County Superintendent of Schools with the Best All Around Activities trophy.  He retired in 1984 but continued to work the ticket booth at football games, was on the Sports Hall of Fame committee and attended other school activities.  He was inducted into the Northeast High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.  As he often said, "Once a Viking, always a Viking".

After retiring he liked to play golf and attend his grandsons' sporting events and activities, showing his love by driving to GA to support them by offering coaching tips and other grandfatherly advice.  He supported many charitable organizations.

Memorial service is on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Glad Tidings Church.



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

02/25/20 05:20 PM #1    

Mary Beth Wing (Wood)

   The Russian History performances by Mr. Musgrave and Mr. Crum were the Absolute Highlights of my 3-year imprisonment at NEHS.
   From Lenin's wintry search for his exiled wife ("Krupskya! Krupskya!  Where are you?!?!"), delivered in a very unusual Russian accent  -- to Mr. M's Piece de Resistance: THE DEATH of RASPUTIN  --Mr. Crum was the ever-perfect costar to these Delicious presentations.  Russian history has remained a lifelong interest.  I remain ever grateful for that.
   Mr. Daniel Crum was a gentleman and a Valued member of our high school community. 
I thank him for his service to our country -- and to Each of us -- in WWII.  If only we had known at the time...

 

 

 


  

 

 

 


02/26/20 11:26 AM #2    

Warner Anderson

Mr. Crum was the kind of teacher that a student wanted to do well for. I saw him make fun of a lot of students - including me - but it was a way of gentle correction and a demonstration of caring. Maybe in a sense, we students couldn't "act out" in class, so Mr. Crum and Mr. Musgrave took on the role and we identified with them! I will never forget, after the first American History exam, Mr. Crum asked me to stay a minute -usually a sure sign I got caught at something, though I couldn't imagine what - and he asked if I would be willing to take real-time lecture notes for the class. Stage fright? Definitely, but I wouldn't have to take exams. After all, no notes to study from. But I read the book voraciously, and often read ahead so I would know the topic for the day. Weird how unconventional, but in my case, compellingly effective learning tool and confidence builder. A remarkable man....

02/26/20 08:41 PM #3    

Nancy Barcley (Manley)

In response to MBMD… If only we had known so many things when we were younger!

Americanism vs Communism was, by far, the best class at NEHI in the 1960’s! If only kids today had to take such a course! Mr. Musgrave’s performance of Rasputin should have been immortalized on film, not just on our brains!

He and Mr. Crum were such an indomitable team. I will NEVER forget dear Mr. Crum coming in and interrupting Mr. Musgrave during our AMERICAN HISTORY CLASS!!!! on November 22, 1963 to tell him and us that President Kennedy was dead! That is a memory emblazoned in my brain! I’ve recounted the story many times.

Mr. Crum was a man of his times, like our fathers, someone who served our country, a scholar, kind, learned, a true distinguished gentleman who will be missed. He made an impact on us! God bless his family in their loss!


02/29/20 10:26 PM #4    

Jerry Conner

I agree with the well written comments of Mary Beth, Warner, and Nancy about Mr. Crum and our experience with Mr. Crum and Mr. Musgrave in the Americanism vs Communism course we all took at NEHI. It was a life event most of us will never forget. But Warner's comment specifically about Mr. Crum flashed me back to the fall of 64' when I was asked to report to Mr. Crum's and Mr. Musgrave's team office after school. I too thought I must have done something wrong. I did not know that both Mr. Crum and Mr. Musgrace were the teacher sponsors of the Student Council. Once there I was asked by both to consider running for Student Council President and to run against Vic Daniels. I was flabbergasted and stuttered that I had no chance to win against a popular and well qualified candiate like Vic. Mr. Musgrave gave me a look of disgust but Mr. Crum responded with a comment I will never remember. " So what, what will you learn if you don't try!!" I agreed to try and pulled together a group of friends and fellow geeks to run a campaign for the Student Council President slot. As some may remember, I went down in flames and Vic won by a landslide. Vic was gracious in victory and asked me to fill another SC slot. We became friends my senior year, inside and outside NEHI. But the event changed my life and I have tried many things outside my comfort zone - in college, in the military, and in my careers choices. I continue to try and do this today. I owe that goal to Mr. Crum. All of us at NEHI in 62'-65' were taught by these two American heroes, by their words, their deeds, and their examples in life. As stated by others, few of us realized at the time how fortunuate we were.


go to top 
  Post Comment