Robert Russell Cromer Jr.

Robert Russell Cromer, Jr., age 89, died peacefully at his home on Sunday, November 20, 2022. He was born in El Paso, Texas on April 13, 1933 to Robert Russell Cromer, Sr., and Zelma Blanche Williams Cromer. Bob grew up on a farm in Clifton, VA, and graduated from Fairfax High School in 1951. He was an active 4-H and Future Farmers of America member and studied agricultural sciences at Virginia Tech, where he was also a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. During his military service, he received basic training at Fort Hood and was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. He entered the computer field as a programmer with Arbitron in 1974. During his career he served in many capacities, including the design and instrumentation of operation systems and related software, the design of unique virtual data structures, and preliminary specifications of what is known today as structured programming. In Washington, DC, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Dallas, Bob served as a programming supervisor, systems programmer, applications analyst and designer, consultant, and systems instructor. He was a member of Data Processing Management Association and became its first Computer Data Processing Ambassador in 1979. He was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church, Manassas, Virginia, where he was in the choir for many years. He applied his expertise in computer technology by refurbishing computers donated to the church, installing them in homes of families in need, and providing ongoing technology support to those families. Bob enjoyed attending symphony orchestra and chorale concerts. Bob is survived by his sisters Ruth Anne Cromer Conley, Irene Louise Cromer, and Marguerite Ellen Leinenbach; nephews Russell Henry Lawrence (Eun Jeung), John Robert Lawrence (Milie), and Michael John Tretick (Terry); niece Elizabeth Anne Bradley (Tyson); six grandnephews and six grandnieces, and a number of great-grand nieces and nephews, as well as cousins and dear friends. He was predeceased by his parents, brother Richard Lee Cromer, sister Katherine Virginia Weston, and wife Madie. Memorial donations may be made to Capital Caring Health, Philanthropy, 3180 Fairview Park Dr., Headquarters/Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22042, or Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas, VA 20110. A ceremony will be held at Quantico National Cemetery in the spring of 2023.

Robert Russell Cromer Jr.

April 13, 1933 - November 20, 2022