Bob Crozier

Lumberjack roots go deep for Robert "Bob" Crozier. With a grandmother who attended the Northern Arizona Normal School in the 1920's and a mother who played basketball for Norther Arizona State Teacher's College, Bob Crozier '53 is a third-generation Lumberjack. "NAU has always been a port of our family," Bob proudly states.

Bob didn't set out to be a Lumberjack. Born at the Ft. Huachuca Army Base, he moved to Flagstaff in 1947. He left Flagstaff soon after to spend his first year of college at the University of Arizona, which made him appreciate what he had found in Flagstaff. "Coming to NAU was one of the best decisions I ever made" he fondly recalls.

Bob took a year off from ASC to work at the Navajo Army Depot as a laborer, handyman and eventually as a member of the Fire Department. Although he loved being a firefighter, he decided to focus on school and commit to being a full-time student at ASC. In 1952, he was elected Homecoming King and enjoyed riding on the historic logging wheels pulled by the Chain Gang in the Homecoming parade. In 1953 he went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Education.

Bob never imagined that in 1967 he would become the University Advisor for the Student Transition Organization- the fancy name for that same "Chain Gang", which he had been a member of as a student. Two of Bob's favorite memories from his time at ASC were Homecoming and the times that he spent with his Kappa Sigma Kappa brothers- the "poor man's fraternity", as they referred to themselves.

After graduated from ASC, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Bob served 10 years in the Army before being honorably discharged in 1955. He met his future wife, Shirley "Joy" Graham, at the Navajo Army Depot and they married in 1957. They have spent 62 exciting years together and raised three wonderful children who also became Lumberjacks.

In 1967, Bob joined NAU as the Assistant Director of Career Placement and the Alumni Secretary. He volunteered his time and knowledge as a member of the NAU Foundation Board for 30 years and was responsible for starting the Heritage Society recognition program. Although Bob retired from NAU in 1997 after serving as the Assistant Director of University Development and the NAU Foundation Manager, his commitment and passion for NAU still remains as strong as ever.

Bob and Joy endowed the Bob and Joy Crozier Education Scholarship through both annual donations and a gift from their estate plan. "Just as it was when I served on the Board, making a gift through your will is a simple yet powerful way to create a lasting legacy that impacts the lives of future NAU students," Bob said.