"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost."
-Thomas Jefferson

Newspaper legend J. Howard Crooks, 89 of Sterling, passed away Sun., Dec. 28, 2014 in Sterling.
Cremation was held.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thurs., Jan. 22, 2015 at the Chaney-Reager Funeral Home with the Rev. Michael Paulison officiating.
Military rites and inurnment will follow in the Riverside Cemetery. A lunch will be then be held at the American Legion Post in Sterling.
Contributions in his honor may be made to the J. Howard Crooks Memorial.

J. Howard was born Dec. 23, 1925 in Fort Morgan to James Howard and J. Marie Hansen Crooks, Sr.
He graduated from Sterling High School in 1943.
Mr. Crooks enlisted in the U.S. Marines during World War II and served as a machine gunner in the Pacific until his discharge in 1946.

He returned to Sterling and attended Northeastern Junior College (NJC) where he studied for two years before joining the then Sterling Daily Advocate in 1948.

In August of 1950 he married Alberta M. Reedy in Brush.

In 1950 Howard was also called to active duty as a Marine correspondent in Korea until 1952 where he served as a combat journalist in the trenches.

In 1953, Crooks came home and became the managing editor of the "Sterling Journal-Advocate."
Four years later he moved to Alamosa where he served as the sports editor for the "Alamosa Courier."

After returning to Sterling in 1960, J. Howard became a general assignment reporter for the "Sterling Journal-Advocate" working his way up through management until he was named the Editor Emeritus of the newspaper on June 30, 1985.

He officially retired from the "Sterling Journal-Advocate" on Dec. 31, 1990.

Howard's career spanned hot type, manual and electric typewriters and the addition of computers to the industry.
His co-workers in the newsroom would always marvel how Crooks could reach into a huge pile of Associated Press ticker tape and pull out the exact story he was searching for.

Always striving to maintain the integrity of a true community newspaper, during his 40-years of service in the industry Crook served under three different owners and eight publishers. Among those publishers were Allen M. Biggerstaff, John W. Woodring and Anna C. Petteys, who Crooks cited as having the greatest impact on his chosen profession.

Crooks was always quick to credit Biggerstaff as the "greatest influence on my career."

Howard's first love, however, was "the story," a path that led him to some of the most historic events in northeastern Colorado from President Eisenhower's dubbing the Sterling High School Band "The Columbine Band," to the loss of the Sterling Memorial Auditorium and the American Legion Post to fires.

Mr. Crooks logged thousands of hours covering the Sterling City Council, the Logan County Commissioners and the RE-1 Valley School Board, documenting the community's legacy in newspaper format.
He covered fatal accidents and murders with compassion for the victim and with the understanding that accuracy was also more important than speed.

Crooks was especially vigilant on birth and death notices, saying, "The first and last things ever written about a person should be flawless."

A mentor to the numerous reporters who worked under his leadership at the "Sterling Journal-Advocate," Mr. Crooks was also a passionate supporter of vocational and educational programs at local schools and especially at Northeastern Junior College (NJC).
Crooks was honored by almost every vocational and educational organization in Colorado, but one of the most prestigious awards he earned was the "Colorado Vocational Association's Merit Award to A Friend." He even traveled with an agriculture group to Europe, to document their journey.

Howard's interest in young people has also been recognized by NJC, the Re-1 Valley School District, the Sterling Jaycees, state and local Future Famers of America (FFA) and the Colorado Young Farmers of which he is an honorary member.

His greatest honor, however, was the appreciation Crooks felt when readers expressed their gratitude for his coverage of complex stories and his dedication to accuracy.
Crooks was never one to slow down and upon his retirement, he was always still visible at community events, and kept his finger on the pulse of the community while serving as a bartender at the American Legion.

Crooks was also the chaplain for the Sterling Post 20, serving at military commemorations and funerals.
Mr. Crooks enjoyed golf – "chasing around the white ball" - loved watching sports and keeping an eye on current, state, national and international events.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his wife Alberta Crooks.

Mr. Crooks is survived by daughters Johanna Snyder and husband Charles of Bellingham, Wash., and Dana Smith and husband Douglas of Sterling; sons John Crooks and daughter-in-law Barbara of Manhattan, Kan., and David Crooks and Shannon of Sterling; grandchildren Elizabeth Crooks and Matthew Crooks of Manhattan, Kan., and Christian Smith of Sterling; great-grandchild Kaitlyn Crooks of Manhattan, Kan., and special friend Garfield of the Legacy in Sterling.