Michael Edward Cronin - Obituary

ichael Edward “Mike” Cronin, 69, a true family man and resident of Annapolis, MD for forty-three years, died on Wednesday, April 28 due to complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Born on August 30, 1951 in Washington, DC, as the third child of seven, to the late William J. “Bill” and Mary T. Cronin. Mike was a devoted and kind son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. He attended Mt. Calvary Grade School and was a proud graduate of Gonzaga College High School and Villanova University. He made his career as a certified public accountant with Brown, Cronin & Frye and later, Cronin & Associates. As a young man at Gonzaga, a place where he made so many lifelong friends and memories, he was a sports enthusiast. While he would never be one to mention it, his efforts earned him a place in Gonzaga’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He played football, basketball and baseball and served as co-captain in both football and basketball. Throughout his four years playing football, he served as wingback, halfback, quarterback, cornerback and safety while also carrying the punting and place-kicking duties. In basketball, as a sophomore, he was responsible for the creation of league rule prohibiting players from playing JV and Varsity games on the same day after scoring 30 points in the JV game and 15 points in the Varsity game that immediately followed. In baseball, Mike was a standout as both a shortstop and centerfielder. He also had many good times on the swim and dive teams at Oakcrest Country Club with his brothers and sisters in the summer. As a child he also spent a lot of summer time down at North Beach with all of his siblings and a multitude of many cousins having a blast, as well as weeks down at Bethany Beach every summer with his own wife and children and extended family and friends. His love of playing sports transitioned to coaching when he became a dad, coaching many Little League baseball and softball, basketball, and soccer teams for his kids and their friends over the years. He was an avid golfer for his entire adult life and had many fond memories and great times with friends in his slow-pitch softball league. Mike thoroughly enjoyed a good meal with family and friends and was known to remark that he never needed to go to a restaurant because he could eat so well at home, thanks to the amazing cooking of his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 47 years, Patricia Cronin. He is survived by his wife, Patricia “Trish” or “Pat” Cronin; his children, Stacy Williams (Iwan) of Severna Park, MD and James Cronin (Dawn) of Easton, MD; his siblings, William “Bill” Cronin of Pass Christian, MS, Timothy “Tim” Cronin (Veronica) of Atlanta, GA, Joseph “Joe” and Mary Ann Cronin both of Washington, DC and Catherine Cronin and Julie McHale (Steve) both of Annapolis, MD and his grandchildren, James “Jay” and Rylee Cronin and Rhys and Brynn Williams, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Mike’s life at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD on Tuesday, May 4. Visitation will occur from 1-2pm, when his memorial service will begin. Masks will be required and social distancing measures will be followed. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gonzaga Fund in memory of Mike Cronin '69. Alternatively, make checks payable to “Gonzaga College High School” and send to the attention of the Advancement Office at 19 Eye Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 1850 York Rd., Ste. D, Timonium, MD 21093. Condolences may be made by using the tab on this page.