Reverend Dr. Timothy Lent Croft, who was born on May 12, 1944, in Wichita, Kan. and who grew up in St. Louis, Mo., died at home in Charlotte on November 10, 2018.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, December 1, 2018, at Myers Park Presbyterian with The Reverend Joe Clifford officiating. The family will receive friends in Oxford Hall following the service. Tim’s ashes will be placed in the Myers Park Presbyterian Memorial Garden and in the Croft cemetery plot at the Chapel By the Sea, Captiva, Fla.
Tim was predeceased on March 28, 1984, by his beloved first wife Carol Devlin Watson of Greenwood, S.C.
He is survived by his beloved wife Margaret Ann Moses of Charleston, W. Va., the five children and twelve grandchildren they share: Thomas Layton Croft and Chaandmon and Sky Croft of Charlotte, N.C.; Ann Bryson Croft McLean (John) and J.P., Annie and Croft McLean of Cape Carteret, N.C.; Caroline Watson Croft Estay (Pete) and Brayden and Holland Gaston, and Lena Grace and Austen Estay of Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Sarah Elizabeth Benson Finch (Geordie) and Ryan Finch of Thousand Oaks, Calif.and Jeremy Eldon Benson (April) and Marit and Torin Benson of Arvada, Colo.
Tim is also survived by his two brothers, Terrence L. Croft Esq. (Merry) and Thomas A. Croft Esq. of Atlanta, Ga., and his sister, Reverend Anne Bartlett (Bill), an Episcopal priest of Talent, Ore.
In addition, Tim is survived by his sister-in-law Frances M. Fesenmaier (Steve) of Charleston, W. Va., and two brothers in law, Dr. Nat E. Watson of Winston-Salem, N.C., and A. Hamilton Cooke Esq. of Jacksonville, Fla., and many nieces and nephews.
Tim graduated from the John Burroughs High School in St. Louis, Davidson College, the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and he studied Systematic Theology at New College of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Tim was awarded honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from both Presbyterian College and Davidson College.
Tim loved Jesus. He also loved pink sirloin, cold Bud, Medoc, Lagavulin, Heath bars, fast cars, fast boats, saltwater fishing, especially in Alaska, and European travels with Margaret- and all the while was devoted to Jesus. He served the Hunter Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Ky.; the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, the First Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg, Va.; the Miami Shores Presbyterian Church in Miami Shores, Fla.; the Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. and the Sneads Ferry Presbyterian Church in Sneads Ferry, N.C. He also served for six years as senior vice president at First Union National Bank in Charlotte.
Tim lived life to the fullest and enjoyed every moment of it. He took nothing for granted and he believed in the priesthood of all believers. He believed that all are saved by grace through faith.
And he believed that nothing in this life or beyond this life will ever be able to separate us from the love of God freely and abundantly extended to all in Christ Jesus our Lord. For several years Tim fought a consistently positive though uphill battle against the insidiously downhill lung disease IPF. And in the end, by faith, Tim won!
In lieu of flowers, please feed the hungry, pray for peace, and tell all those whom you love that you love them every day!
Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.