John Crump, Jr.

John Marston Crump, Jr. passed from this life on July 12th, 2021.  He was born in Charlotte, NC on June 2, 1931 to the late John Marston, Sr. and Marcella Clark Crump.   His beloved sister, Jacquelin Crump Boots also preceded him in death.  He called her Sister and she called him Brother as did his mother and father.  His sister’s children called him Uncle Brother, a name by which eventually hundreds of family and friends knew him.

An avid outdoorsman, Uncle Brother made at least 25 trips to Ontario, Canada between 1964 and 1987 to fish the clear waters of Lake of the Woods.  On fishing trips to Florida, he landed five bass over 10 pounds each.  His passion was Vanderbilt sports.  On several occasions, he attended multiple games in various sports during the course of a week.  He held season tickets to many Vanderbilt sports for decades.  He regularly attended football, men’s and women’s basketball, mens and women’s tennis and soccer, and baseball.  When he could not attend the games he listened on radio or watched on television.  He was excited when the women’s bowling team won a national championship, having been an active bowler himself in the 1960’s and ’70’s.  In addition to his passion for all things Vanderbilt, for many years he enjoyed going to high school football games at Montgomery Bell Academy.  Regardless of whether he was attending an NCAA event or a youth league softball game, he could often be heard doing his best to keep the game officials (referees and umpires) on point.

John Marston Crump, Jr. was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville.  He attended Parmer Elementary school through 8th grade, and graduated high school from MBA in 1949.  He was a member of the tennis team at Vanderbilt during his freshman year.  But college was interrupted as he served in the United States Army, serving in Korea during the Korean War.  He returned to complete his degree at Vanderbilt in 1955.  He worked as an insurance underwriter after graduating from college and following a successful career, he retired from Cherokee Insurance Company at age 52.  He travelled across the United States and Europe, enjoying both camping and culture.  He was always a meticulous record keeper, making notes of everything from daily activities to year-end lists of notable events that had occurred during the previous year.

Having never married, he treated the children of his sister, Jacquelin, and her husband, Ora D Boots, Jr. as his own.  He is survived by those children: his niece Cindy (Randy) Perryman, nephew Steve (Connie) Boots, and niece Karen (Larry) Wells.  He is also survived by three great-nieces, three great-nephews, four great-grandnieces, and three great-grandnephews.  In addition to his family, he is survived by his loving friends Tom and Jane McDow.

Visitation with the family will be on Wednesday July 14, 2021 from 1:30-2:30 with a  memorial service to follow at 2:30 PM at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens and Funeral Home in Nashville.  In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church on West End Avenue in Nashville.