Harold Gene Crosby

Harold Gene Crosby, 82, former Seminole resident, died Sunday, July 13, 2014 in Boise, Idaho. Harold was born March 31, 1932 in McLean, Texas to Clarence and Rebecca Crosby; he was the fourth of five children.   While Gene worked his way through undergraduate and graduate school at Oklahoma State University, Gene bought a plane. He loved to fly to OSU wrestling matches with his friends, “living on beer and peanuts.” He was a smoke jumper and seasonal pilot for the U.S. Forest Service, which brought him to McCall, Idaho, where he met his wife of 20 years, Harriet Anderson. They moved to Boise, Idaho, where Gene worked at the Titan Missile Complex in Ada County. They returned to McCall, Idaho, so Gene could work for Johnson Air Company, flying mail and hunters into the backcountry, and “ pregnant women and shot hunters out.” Gene’s next job was in Boise, Idaho, working for Joe Albertson, as his co-pilot, flying him around the country as the grocery store chain expanded. In 1969, Gene and Harriet bought a “ 160-acre homestead” farm near Notus, Idaho, Gene lived at Dirty Sock Ranch, fondly named after all the socks drying on the porch after changing sprinkler lines, until 1984, when he moved back to Boise, Idaho. Notable awards were; “ Million Miler” for flying one million miles without an accident, quite a feat with a single engine propeller planes over mountainous terrain, and “ Grassman of the Year”. Gene served on the Notus, Idaho school board and on the Chamber of Commerce board at Caldwell, Idaho.   Gene served as a First Lieutenant in the U. S. Army from 1954 to 1957.   Gene is survived by his sister Ann Vanlandingham of Seminole, Oklahoma, a daughter Cherrill Moran of Tempe, Arizona, two sons Brian Scott Crosby of Boise, Idaho and Brent Anderson Crosby of Valley Ford, Washington, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.   Memorial services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, July 19, 2014 at the Little Cemetery Chapel at Little Cemetery in Seminole, Oklahoma. Chris Stinnett will officiate at the services. Military honors will be provided by the U.S. Army.   Services are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma. Funeral Information: July 19, 2014, 2:00 PM Little Cemetery Chapel - Little, OK located at Hwy. 99 North, Little, OK