Arthur W. ‘Art’ Crooke, 96

Arthur W. “Art” Crooke died suddenly after a short illness on August 27, 2026, at age 96. 

He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on May 16, 1930. 

Growing up during the Depression with his four siblings Daisy, Edmond, Walter, and Eric taught Arthur the importance of fixing things and making things from scratch. In high school, he worked fixing sewing machines. He then went to Rutgers University and MIT, where he became an electrical engineer. 

He worked with computers every day of his adult life. He received two patents for his innovations in this area. In 1967, he moved his family to Acton. All four of his children — Susan, Deborah, William, and Robert — graduated from Acton-Carlisle High School. He was an active member of the Acton Players and attended the Unitarian Universalist Church (First Parish) in Acton. 

After experiencing serious health issues in 2010, he moved to Pennswood Village in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where he lived with his sister and her husband until he was 94. He then moved to Hood River, Oregon, as all of his children were living on the West Coast. There he could spend more time with his four children, two granddaughters, and three great-grandchildren. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Anderson Tribute Center in Hood River, Oregon, on October 3 at 11 a.m.