![](/site/assets/files/5673/crosby.400x400.jpg)
Harold L. "Bing" Crosby
Harold L. "Bing" Crosby, 79, died Monday at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. He was born January 28, 1925, in Benkelman, Nebraska to Chester and Ura (Rorabaugh) Crosby. Bing graduated from West High School, Denver, CO, and enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1942. He saw combat duty during WW II and was part of a crew that sank a German submarine. He was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard in 1945 and then reenlisted in the US Army Air Corps.
Bing served for 24 years before retiring as a Master Sergeant in the US Air Force. His tours of duty included Germany, Kansas, Hawaii, Wyoming, California, Labrador, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Upon retirement, Bing started a 17-year career in Civil Service - first as the Purchasing Agent at the Job Corp in Nemo, SD, and then as Chief of Material Control for the Civil Engineering Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
He retired in 1987. In 1943 he married Kathryn Ryan of Deadwood, SD. They were married for 61 years. He was a member of the Rapid City Elks Lodge #1187 and the Deadwood Masonic Lodge. Bing loved to read and spend time with his family. He was a renowned Bingo caller while in the Air Force. Bing served his country proudly and was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.
Survivors include his wife, Kathryn, Rapid City; a son, Mike Crosby (Lt. Col., USAF, Ret) and his wife, Marsha, Long Beach, CA; a daughter, Pat Quist, and her husband, Hal, Sheridan, Wyoming; three granddaughters: Kelly Crosby, Sacramento, CA; Heather Sorensen, Sunnyvale, CA; Laura Quist, Sheridan, WY; and two grandsons: Adam and Jeremy Quist, Sheridan, Wyoming. Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 2004, at Osheim-Catron Funeral Home in Rapid City. Services will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 16, 2004, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church with Rev. David Cameron officiating. Interment will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery with military honors by The Retired Enlisted Association under the direction of Osheim-Catron Funeral Home.
•
Remembering Harold L. "Bing" Crosby
Use the form below to make your memorial contribution. PRO will send a handwritten card to the family with your tribute or message included. The information you provide enables us to apply your remembrance gift exactly as you wish.