Much-loved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend Brad Lee Crock, age 65, of River Falls, Wisconsin, went to his heavenly home on August 7, 2024.
Brad was born on October 13, 1958, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Louise and Edward Crock, who raised an amazing son on their Iowa farm. Brad married the love of his life, Janet Lynn Hopper, on August 16, 1980. Brad and Janet met when they were 13 years old in Tipton, Iowa, and fell in love at 19 while Brad was an Iowa State Cyclone and Janet was a University of Iowa Hawkeye. Together they created an adventurous life and an amazing close-knit family. Their love story and unconditional love for each other has been an inspiration to their family and all who knew them.
Brad and Janet both earned their pilot’s licenses in their early 20s, and Brad soon realized flying was his passion. He built up his flight time and ratings, and in 1987, they relocated to the Twin Cities area. Brad joined Sun Country Airlines in 1989 where he served exceptionally in various roles, including Airline Captain, Check Airman, and Instructor, for nearly 30 years. His flying skills in the DC-10, Boeing 727, and Boeing 737 were highly regarded. He was always willing to take on challenging ferry flights and unique landings, such as a 737 short field landing in the mountains of Honduras. Brad also flew as Captain on many Honor Flights for Veterans, including for his father Ed.
Outside of work, Brad and Janet have enjoyed living the aviator’s life, building their home on a grass airstrip/beach community on the Wisconsin border, hosting fly-ins, and flying their Piper 235. Brad and the family enjoyed attending the family-run Quad City Air Show and the annual EAA Oshkosh Airshow every summer.
Brad and Janet were married for almost 44 wonderful years and were blessed with three children in three years, their oldest daughter, Brittney, and the “twins,” Bryant and Stephanie. Brad loved being a dad and was often more of a kid than they were. He always loved time on the water, boating with his parents and siblings in his childhood years, then boating with his kids on the St. Croix with the “Crock Cruiser.” He shared his love of water skiing, snow skiing, and SCUBA diving with the kids, and never passed on an opportunity to go on SCUBA trips with his pilot friends and family. Brad had an eclectic taste in music, which the kids got a kick out of, and was talented in creating original sketch artwork. He was willing to help anyone fix anything and had a penchant for duct tape. Brad was also a proud grandfather to his active grandson, Blake, whom he adored. Brad (“Papa”) loved taking Blake on golf cart rides down to the beach and playing in the hangar together.
When life’s inevitable challenges hit, Brad and Janet handled it as a team with grace and humor. Humor was a staple in their relationship and joy filled their moments…the kind of joy their Christian faith and Midwest values encouraged.
Brad’s faith, family, and friends were everything to him. He was dearly loved by all who had the gift of knowing him, and he will be remembered for his kind and generous heart, his humility, his willingness to always help, his fun personality, and his big warm smile.
Brad is survived by his wife, Janet; his children, Brittney (Zach), Bryant (Keeli), Stephanie (Chris); his grandson, Blake; his parents, Louise and Edward; his siblings, Blain (Shari), Crystal (Seiji); his parents-in-law, Dorothy and Charles Hopper; his brothers-in-law, Steve (Mary), Tom, Ken (Margie), Mike; his many nieces and nephews; and many dear friends.
“Toodles” – Brad
There will be a Mass of Christian Burial for Brad at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at his home parish of St. Joseph Catholic Church, 269 Dakota Street South, Prescott, Wisconsin 54021, with a visitation prior from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Church gathering space. Interment immediately following at St. Joseph Cemetery.
A Celebration of Life is being planned to honor Brad’s remarkable life at Brad and Janet’s hangar (“JB Flight Deck”) on Brad’s birthday, Sunday, October 13, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. We will treasure sharing the fun Brad stories in the hangar with all who loved him.
Arrangements are under the care of Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel in Hastings, Minnesota.
