Longtime businessman, volunteer dies at age 92
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 13, 2013 1:46 PM
James Crone Jr.
Former Goldsboro accountant James C. Crone Jr. died Monday at an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill.
Crone was not only an astute businessman, who began his firm, James. C. Crone CPA, in the 1950s. He also was active in the community in a variety of capacities.
He served as chairman of the United Way of Wayne County and the local chapters of the Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.
Crone also was a member of the city Board of Education during desegregation and a member of the board of directors at Wayne Community College.
Crone joined St. Paul Church in 1934 and served on various committees. He was the first chairman when St. Paul formed its Financial Endowment Committee in 2000, said office manager and financial secretary Beverly Anderson.
In 1982 when the sanctuary was renovated, Crone served on the building committee. He was a Sunday school teacher for many years, including the Ray Armstrong Class in the 1950s.
"I would describe Mr. Crone as a true southern gentleman," Ms. Anderson said. "When I would see him, sometimes he'd take my hand and kiss it.
"He was a genius in my opinion, very intelligent. I probably saw a different side of him because this was his church and I was an employee."
Hank Crawford was a partner in the CPA business with Crone for 25 years.
"He was on of the smartest, most well-read, most dedicated professionals I've ever know," Crawford said. "He was very intelligent and ever dedicated to his clients. Any professional who wants to model their practice after someone would do well to model after his work habits. He always put himself in his clients' shoes to try to solve their problems."
The business he founded eventually merged into Pittard, Perry and Crone, and now is now Carr, Riggs and Ingram LLC.
The funeral will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. at St. Paul Church. Interment will follow at Willow Dale Cemetery.
Following the services, there will be a reception at the Crone home at 1923 Salem Church Road.