An E-mail from Meg Crockett-Clegg (Earl's daughter) on what would have been Earl's 110th birthday

---

From: Meg Crockett [mailto: websiteink@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 6:58 AM
Subject: Earl C. Crockett would have been 110 today

Earl Crockett

He would have been 110 years old today, May 13, 2013.

He was always my hero, he was so honest, fair, just, nice, modest and hard-working. 

The most basic honest story is the one Mom told me about how they met. Since he came from a chronically poor family, he had to work to put himself through college. (His dad got lye in his eyes when young, then sited 11 children. ) So Earl was working in the Cafeteria where Della and her friend were going for lunch. Friend says to Della, "See that fellow with the auburn hair serving?  I'm going to get him to take my test for me , he's really smart. "

Said girl approaches Earl, bats her eyelashes at him and makes her appeal. 

But Earl is not swayed, "Oh, no, I couldn't do that. " Della was impressed. 

Want an example of hardworking?  When Earl was tapped for the job as Academic Vice President of BYU in 1957, he was an Economics Professor at the University of Colorado and on ~32 faculty committees (the chairman of many of them).

He did well in life but was a good example of someone who has self confidence and yet humility. 

He was always alert to right a wrong or defend the underdog. His warmth and goodness came to light but never from his own lips. 

He was tender hearted and kind. 

If he had difficult times, he told only Della, and he figured out how to deal with difficult people with politeness and grace. 

He was smart (which showed in so many ways) one I realized late was how he got along with Della (who wasn't as easy going as he was). If she had things she wanted him to do, he did them immediately (they were done - no need to ever nag him- I learned this from him way too late). 

He saw his job at BYU as a defender of the faculty and of academic freedom.  In those days there were 500 on the faculty, he made sure to meet them all and he would bemoan the fact (at home) that it was hard not to pay attention to the sqeaky wheel, and thus not have time to spend with those he saw as more deserving. 

I think everyone who knew him respected him, and we all loved him a lot. 

M