William A. Cromer 97 formerly of 2222 Wilson Road Newberry died Monday February 16 2015 at J.F. Hawkins Nursing Home. The family will be at the home of Patsy and John Raymond Miller 1610 Whitener Rd. Newberry and will receive friends on Wednesday from 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM. at the Whitaker Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 PM on Thursday February 19 2015 at Central United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tresco Shannon officiating. Interment will follow in Newberry Memorial Gardens. Mr. Cromer was born on October 25 1917 in Newberry a son of the late William Andrew and Essie Lake Cromer. He was a man of many talents and a man with strong work principles who at the age of 16 went to work with the Civilian Conservation Corps. A retired farmer and logger he was former co-owner of Cromer & Williams Logging and later of W. A. Cromer & Son Inc. He was a devoted member of Central United Methodist Church and a member of the Chesley Cannon Sunday School Class. He would be the first to arrive at the church to make sure the doors were open for others. Additionally he was a former member of the Newberry Exchange Club and the Newberry County Cattlemans Association. Fishing farming and time with his family were special to him. To them he was a big strong yet kind and humble Christian man who loved to be in the woods on the farm on a bulldozer and on Lake Murray observing the beauty of his Masters creation. Mr. Cromer is survived by his wife of 75 years Martha Stockman Cromer; children Patsy C. and John Raymond Miller of Newberry and W. Larry and Rita Cromer of Newberry; a sister Estelle Smith of Newberry; grandchildren Paige and David Nichols and Leah and Will Blackmon: great grandchildren Ben Blackmon Cole Nichols and Alec Blackmon. He was predeceased by his grandsons William Alan Cromer and Bradford Jevon Miller; brothers Harold Cromer Henry Cromer Omerle Cromer Earl Cromer and Hubert Cromer and sister Elizabeth Adams. A special thank you is extended to his devoted care givers Mary Ruff and Alfreda Price and to the staff of Unit 1 at J. F. Hawkins Nursing Home. The family suggests memorials to Central United Methodist Church General Fund P.O. Box 67 Newberry SC 29108 or to Summer Memorial Lutheran Church General Fund 1609 Milligan St. Newberry SC 29108. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitakerfuneralhome.com. Whitaker Funeral Home Newberry is assisting the family.