Obituary for Doris Jane Cronk (Allison)
Doris Jane Cronk
January 30, 1933 – April 21, 2020
Welcomed into the arms of our Savior and now with her husband of nearly 50 years Howard, Doris passed away at home unexpectedly at the tender age of 87. Doris was born to Addie and Roy Allison of Riverdale, CA, an Ag community that is still without a traffic signal, but rich in spirit of family and strong community.
Mom and Addie moved to Bakersfield in the 1940’s where Mom completed high school at East Bakersfield High. She then attended dental technician training in the Bay area before returning to Bakersfield to work in a dental firm.. Mom met her future husband, Howard Cronk, who had followed several of his 12 siblings from Tennessee to Bakersfield. They eloped in 1951, on their first of many trips to Las Vegas. One included meeting Evel Knievel who gave them a poem written on a cocktail napkin.
They had two sons, Greg (1953) and Randy (1957). Mom supported Dad in his many entrepreneurial quests of Ace TV, Chet’s Club, Royal Club, Howard & Rod’s Used Cars and Little Brown Jug Liquors, which they owned for 34 years. Dad would open the store, but it was Mom who came in later in the morning and truly RAN the store! For decades, when time permitted, she enjoyed helping Uncle Brownie at Farley’s Florist. With this business background, she became a member of the American Business Women’s Association.
Mom and Dad truly had an open-door policy, hosting many friends of their kids, and grand-kids, to dinners and holiday events. There was always room for one more. Mom and Dad loved the central coast and were thrilled when they bought a vacation home in Morro Bay to be able to completely spoil grandkids. There was as much sparkle in Mom’s, Nana’s, eyes as there was in those of grand or great grand-kids. Dad passed in March of 2001. Mom also lost her BFF of 60+ years, Barbara Dumatrait/Cowan, in February 2002. They both were from Riverdale and both moved to Bakersfield and both reared families in east Bakersfield.
For those who knew Mom growing up, she was “Doodie”. Many who became close picked up on her nickname and didn’t know her by any other name for decades. To implore a little of the Swiss background she was brought up with, Mom would teach her children, grandkids and great-grandkids to know what kutsu (sp) (ladle), mangia (eat) and fatta (sp) mangia (come and eat) meant. Although not officially into genealogy, Mom was the go-to person for both Dad’s and her families for details. She had an uncanny ability to recall names, dates or events. It pains us to not be able to pick-up the phone and ask, “hey Mom, Nana, do you remember…..”?
Mom is survived by sons Greg (Kathy) and Randy. Grandkids Justin, Jared (Nicole), Allison Gillies (Chad), Katie Renshaw (Chris), Lauren and Bobby. Also, great-grandkids Harper, Madison, Collyn, Maverick and Mom just learned, one on the way (Allison).
January 30, 1933 – April 21, 2020
Welcomed into the arms of our Savior and now with her husband of nearly 50 years Howard, Doris passed away at home unexpectedly at the tender age of 87. Doris was born to Addie and Roy Allison of Riverdale, CA, an Ag community that is still without a traffic signal, but rich in spirit of family and strong community.
Mom and Addie moved to Bakersfield in the 1940’s where Mom completed high school at East Bakersfield High. She then attended dental technician training in the Bay area before returning to Bakersfield to work in a dental firm.. Mom met her future husband, Howard Cronk, who had followed several of his 12 siblings from Tennessee to Bakersfield. They eloped in 1951, on their first of many trips to Las Vegas. One included meeting Evel Knievel who gave them a poem written on a cocktail napkin.
They had two sons, Greg (1953) and Randy (1957). Mom supported Dad in his many entrepreneurial quests of Ace TV, Chet’s Club, Royal Club, Howard & Rod’s Used Cars and Little Brown Jug Liquors, which they owned for 34 years. Dad would open the store, but it was Mom who came in later in the morning and truly RAN the store! For decades, when time permitted, she enjoyed helping Uncle Brownie at Farley’s Florist. With this business background, she became a member of the American Business Women’s Association.
Mom and Dad truly had an open-door policy, hosting many friends of their kids, and grand-kids, to dinners and holiday events. There was always room for one more. Mom and Dad loved the central coast and were thrilled when they bought a vacation home in Morro Bay to be able to completely spoil grandkids. There was as much sparkle in Mom’s, Nana’s, eyes as there was in those of grand or great grand-kids. Dad passed in March of 2001. Mom also lost her BFF of 60+ years, Barbara Dumatrait/Cowan, in February 2002. They both were from Riverdale and both moved to Bakersfield and both reared families in east Bakersfield.
For those who knew Mom growing up, she was “Doodie”. Many who became close picked up on her nickname and didn’t know her by any other name for decades. To implore a little of the Swiss background she was brought up with, Mom would teach her children, grandkids and great-grandkids to know what kutsu (sp) (ladle), mangia (eat) and fatta (sp) mangia (come and eat) meant. Although not officially into genealogy, Mom was the go-to person for both Dad’s and her families for details. She had an uncanny ability to recall names, dates or events. It pains us to not be able to pick-up the phone and ask, “hey Mom, Nana, do you remember…..”?
Mom is survived by sons Greg (Kathy) and Randy. Grandkids Justin, Jared (Nicole), Allison Gillies (Chad), Katie Renshaw (Chris), Lauren and Bobby. Also, great-grandkids Harper, Madison, Collyn, Maverick and Mom just learned, one on the way (Allison).