Kelly S. Cronk

Kelly Stuart Cronk, 75, of New Castle passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at Community Rehabilitation Hospital North in Indianapolis. He was born on November 6, 1946, in New Castle, a son of Robert and Harriett (Dunaway) Cronk. Those left to cherish Kelly’s memory include his wife Jane (Vyain) Cronk of New Castle; a daughter-in-law, Gena Navitskis Dant, and granddaughter, Lucia Dant of Mesa, Arizona; siblings, Vince Cronk of Lewisville, Dr. Joseph Cronk (wife Nancy) of Daleville, Meg (Cronk) Levy (husband Matt) of Albuquerque, New Mexico; two sisters-in-law, Linda (Vyain) Neal (husband Richard) of Noblesville and Carol (Vyain) Barefoot (husband Bruce) of Muncie; and brother-in-law, David Vyain of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, a foster son, Darius Dale Dant, and a brother-in-law, Michael Eugene Vyain. Darius Dant came to live with Kelly and Jane during his senior year of New Castle High School. He remained with them through his college years at Purdue University and considered them to be his parents. Kelly and Jane traveled many times to Arizona to stay with him and his wife and daughter. Sadly, Darius passed away in February of 2021 from cancer. Kelly graduated from Walter P. Chrysler High School in 1965, where he was active in football and baseball. He graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971 and with a Master of Arts in 1980. He was also a student athletic trainer at Ball State. He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Muncie, Indiana. Kelly taught physical education and health classes for 35 years at Shenandoah School Corporation from 1975 to his retirement in 2010. He was active in their extracurricular sports programs. Student athletes called him “Coach” when he was head coach for the Raider wrestling team for twenty four years and an assistant coach for the football program for fifteen years. They called him “Doc” when he was their athletic trainer. “Coach Craze” became another nickname for him. He also coached girls’ track and taught driver’s education. During his wrestling coach career, Kelly took wrestlers to state eight times and had two placers at state. Coach Cronk was especially proud of his induction into the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame in February 1999. Ten wrestlers from Kelly’s first wrestling team attended the banquet honoring their coach. All of his wrestlers remember the team mascot, the Tasmanian Devil, or Taz, whom Coach Cronk used as a motivational tool. Raider wrestling was known as a powerhouse around the state. Kelly was the consummate host. He had the extraordinary ability to put people at ease and to make them feel comfortable. He and his wife hosted many dinner parties during their life together. In fact, on their first date in college, Kelly cooked a meal for Jane. Kelly’s love for cooking for family and friends continued throughout the couple’s fifty-two years of marriage. After many cooked meals for family and friends, “Chef Kel” became a moniker for him. Kelly and Jane also hosted exchange students. They fell into this role accidentally, but they absolutely loved the idea of learning about other cultures. Their exchange students were: Blanca De Ayerbe Cartagena from Zaragoza, Spain; Maria Lierenfeld from Cologne, Germany; and Denise, Andre, and Caio from Sao Paulo, Brazil. All of these foreign students were treated and loved as if they were Kelly and Jane’s children. And, each exchange student had a special dish that he or she would request from Chef Kel. If “Renaissance man” describes a person with skills and talents in many varied subjects, then Kelly is right up there with Leonardo da Vinci. He studied fine wine like a sommelier, and he studied cars like an automotive engineer. He was “Chef Kel” when he puttered in the kitchen preparing a gourmet meal. He could analyze defensive schemes in football as well as he analyzed efficient shopping at Kroger. He could discuss themes in Shakespeare’s plays and discuss the philosophy of existentialism. He could demonstrate effective moves in wrestling as well as demonstrate smooth moves in dancing. He was just as happy to travel to Arizona as he was to travel to Traverse City and Pt. Betsie, Michigan. He appreciated funky fashions in shorts and hats as well as he appreciated the humor in a play on words. He could relax listening to The Righteous Brothers or Ed Sheeran and relax playing the guitar. He took as much pleasure working alone on his property’s landscaping as he did having coffee with his friends. He could stay active by running, jogging, or walking, and he could play a round of golf. He loved to experience fine dining in unique restaurants as much as he enjoyed watching World War 2 documentaries on television at home. People of all ages were fascinated by his wide-ranging interests and enjoyed engaging with him. Kelly Cronk was a true Twenty First Century Renaissance Man. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be offered to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Henry County Community Foundation, or the Shenandoah High School Athletics Department. Friends may call from 4 - 8 P.M. on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at Sproles Family Funeral Home in New Castle. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 A.M., Friday August 5, 2022, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 820 E. Charles St., Muncie, Indiana 47302. Following the Mass, friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon at First Friends Meeting, 503 S Main St, New Castle, IN 47362. You may send the family a personal condolence www.sprolesfamilycares.com. The Sproles family and staff are honored to serve the family of Kelly Cronk.

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Kelly S. Cronk

November 6, 1946 - July 26, 2022