Dr. Annie Pearl Croom

Life Reflections

of

Dr. Annie Pearl Croom

Jesus told His followers," You are the world's light a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.

Don't hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your ~ heavenly Father." Matthew 5: 14-16

Dr. Annie Pearl Croom, a veteran health and physical education professor, was born on April 25, 1937 in Leighton, Alabama. After fighting the good fight, finishing the race and keeping the faith, God called her home to Glory on Monday, May 25, 2026 in Florence, Alabama.

She was the eighth child, and the fifth daughter of 13 Children of the late Minnie L. Eggleston Croom and John L. Croom Sr. They were successful scientific cotton and soybean farmers who moved from Leighton, Alabama to Tuscumbia, Alabama when she was a little girl. She was preceded in death by brothers, John Louis Croom, Jr. James Croom, Napoleon Croom, Oliver M. Croom, Willie Croom and sisters, Nina Croom Ashley, Carolyn Croom Hallman, Gertha Lee Croom, Vernita M. Croom and Edna Croom Page.

Dr. Croom was reared under her parents God fearing, loving, nurturing, care; performing the farm chores and helping to rear her five younger siblings. Her older siblings were excellent role models. The family affectionately called her Pearl. She was like this jewel, glittering with a beautiful smile, helping others, and letting her little light shine among everyone she encountered.

God gave her a vision when she was a young girl. She saw herself traveling, with a suitcase most of her life which meant that she was blessed with a gift for teaching and missionary service.

She Confessed Christ at an early ago, and joined First Baptist Church in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was a faithful member until her death.  Over the years, she served in various capacities including the Missionary Society, choir and other church activities.

In 1955, Dr. Croom graduated from Trenholm High School, Tuscumbia, Alabama before earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education at Tuskegee Institute (University) Tuskegee, Alabama with a minor in social science in 1961.

Trenholm honored her for high academic achievement in her senior year. Plus, she was honored for three years as an outstanding all-around athlete in basketball, track and field, earning certificates and awards.  At Tuskegee Institute she excelled in these same sports. Some of her college distinctions, include Track& Field Meets, 1960 Olympic Trials, American Amateur Athletic Union Meets winner of first place medals and shields,  Tuskegee Institute honors in basketball, track & field and won certificates, Varsity letters, sweaters, blazers, and won numerous first, second, and third place individual medals at the Tuskegee Institute Dual Track Meets. She often competed in meets with Wilma Rudolph and other famous Olympic gold medal winners. The late Dr. Nell C. Jackson, U.S. Olympic Coach and Olympic gold medal winner, was Dr. Croom's Coach at Tuskegee Institute and the great Alice Coachman, Olympic gold medal winner in the high jump was her supervisor of student teaching at Tuskegee Institute High School.

By her senior year she had won nine Olympic gold medals in track and field, while simultaneously supporting research on “The Biblical Creation vs. The Scientific Evolution of Man”, and “The Decline of Intercollegiate Sports for Women”; under the tutelage of Tuskegee Institute faculty member; Dr. Mildred Brown,

She was the recipient of the Dr. Edward L. Jackson, Ross C. Owens, and Jacquelyn Quinn Scholarships; was selected Miss Baptist Student Union and selected to Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities in 1960.

In 1961, she started her teaching career and taught health, physical education, mathematics, science, and coached basketball, modern dance club, track and field, and cheerleaders at Lakeside High School in Decatur, Alabama. Mr. C. Leon Sheffield was her principal. She was certified to teach K-12 health and physical education in four states; Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. She also taught in the Hollywood, Florida, and the Waycross, Georgia City School systems.

Annle earned her Master of Arts degree at the University of lowa, lowa City, lowa,in 1971, followed by the Ph.D. in Physical Education (Pedagogy: Professional Preparation of Teachers, Curriculum, and Administration) at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida in 1992.

Dr. Croom resided in the state of lowa for 12 years, employed at the University of Northern lowa in Cedar Falls, lowa, and Coe College in Cedar Rapids, lowa, where she was the women’s basketball coach.

She studied and worked with famous pioneers in the profession of health, physical education, recreation and dance, she continued to make her mark in the profession. By directing women’s plays, women athletic programs supporting equal opportunity in women’s sports.

Ms. Croom also worked with academic institutional review teams to strengthen the institutions and assisted them with complying with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) requirements for reaffirmation of accreditation.

Her teaching experience spanned 36 years, 24 at the university/college level and 14 in public schools including Cheney University, Cheney, PA; West Georgia College, Carrollton, GA; Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; and Livingstone College, NC.  She retired from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Al, where she served in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department. After retiring, she moved to Florence, AL and served as her mother’s primary caregiver for nine years, her mother lived to be 101 years old.

She held on to the faith, finished the race and is resting in Jesus’s arms.

The race is not promised to the swift, nor to the strong, but to those who endure to the end. Ecclesiastes 9:11.

Dr. Croom leaves to treasure her memories, two sisters, Doris J. Savage(John), Newark, Delaware; Gail Collins,(Alton), Cincinnati, Ohio; A devoted niece and nephew, Tiffany Croom Turner, Cherokee, Al and Samuel Brewer, Jr, Florence, Al; Nine other nieces and fourteen nephews;  and a host of cousins, family friends  and others.

Dr. Croom wrote her own obituary in 2009, updates were provided by the family.

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