Van Jackson Crotts

Van Jackson Crotts, 56, of Winston-Salem NC died Sunday evening, January 25, 2015.

Van lived valiantly and victoriously through almost two years of treatment for brain cancer. His trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and his positive outlook inspired the many people involved in his treatment, along with his family, friends, business associates, and employees, who loved and respected him.

He was the son of Marcus Bowman Crotts and Margo Jackson Crotts of Winston-Salem.

He was proceeded in death by his infant daughter, Elizabeth Palmer Crotts, in 1994, and his father-in-law, George O. Rogers, Jr., in August, 2014.

Van was an Eagle scout, and a graduate of RJ Reynolds High School. He received a BS degree in Engineering Operations from North Carolina State University in May, 1980, graduating with honors. After receiving a Masters of Business Administration from Wake Forest University in 1982, he began employment as a sales engineer with Crotts and Saunders Engineering, Inc., a business his father started in 1956. His lengthy career in the machine tool industry, from 1982 to 2013, allowed him to gain great knowledge of manufacturing processes and the metal working industry in the Carolinas and Virginia. His customers relied on his sales expertise and many of them considered him a valued friend. He retired as president of Crotts and Saunders Engineering in August, 2013. Van was a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honors fraternity. In 1993, he achieved the status of Certified Machine Tool Sales Engineer (CMTSE) from the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. He served as president of the North Carolina Society of Engineers from 1996-1997. In 2010, he was elected chairman of the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. In August 2014, the North Carolina Society of Engineers honored him with as Engineer of the Year.

Surviving him, including his parents, are his wife, Sally Rogers Crotts, his son, Marcus Rogers Crotts of Raleigh, sister, Laura Paschall (Jay) of Hickory, NC; his sisters-in-law, Molly Rogers of Miami Beach, FL, Margaret Steelman (John) of Greensboro, and Georgia Farmer (Tim) of Richmond, VA; nephew, Jesse Paschall of Grand Rapids, MI; nieces, Olivia Paschall of Boone, NC and Sadie Steelman of Greensboro; mother-in-law, Dixie Rogers, of Graham, NC; and maternal aunt, Mary Monson (Carl) of Clemmons, NC. Van is also survived by his first cousins, who have been very devoted to him: Nancy Carol Westmoreland of Cary, NC; Tony Withers of Raleigh, NC; Rich and Kent Jackson of Auburn, CA; Robin LaVigne of Virginia Beach, VA; Lynn Moore of Ocean Isle Beach, NC; Kathy Crouse of Fallbrook, CA; and Susan Platt of Clemmons, NC. Van was blessed to be a part of a large extended family, including the Crotts, Jackson, Rogers and Wilson families.

A celebration of Van's life will be held Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 2 pm at College Park Baptist Church, 1701 Polo Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106. The family will receive friends Wednesday, January 28, 2015 from 6 pm - 8 pm at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek, as well as after the service on Thursday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to College Park Baptist Church, 1701 Polo Rd, Winston-Salem NC 27106, or a charity of your choice.

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