Iron County remembers Gary Cronkright Jr.’s decades of public service

Gary Allen Cronkright Jr., 67, of Iron River, died June 7 in a three-vehicle crash on M-28 near Pirkola Road in Covington Township, Baraga County.

Born Aug. 24, 1958, and raised in Trout Creek, he graduated from Ewen-Trout Creek High School in 1976.

Cronkright served four years of active duty in the Navy aboard the USS Dubuque, which was commissioned in 1967 and decommissioned in 2011. He later studied diesel mechanics at Northern Michigan University and went on to serve 20 years in the Army National Guard.

For 20 years, Cronkright also served with the West Iron County Fire Department, which covers 575 square miles in the Upper Peninsula and works as both first responders and community educators. His local government work took him to the Village of Mineral Hills, the City of Iron River and the Iron County Road Commission, which maintains 224 MDOT highway miles and 633 primary and local miles of road.

The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. when a vehicle crossed the centerline and struck the front of a semi-truck on M-28. The semi overturned, caught fire after striking a power line and left about 1,400 residents briefly without power; the truck driver suffered minor injuries, and a third vehicle was hit by flying debris.

He had a cat, KiKi, and a daily ritual with friends at Mr. T’s Family Restaurant. He is survived by his son, Jason Cronkright, daughters Michelle Guth and Melissa Carter, and several grandchildren, along with siblings and extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gary Cronkright and Virginia Kugler; his sister, Kathy Wonsey; his former wife and friend, Kathleen Cronkright; and his close friend, Larry Salmons.

A celebration of life is planned for June 27 at VFW Post 3134 in Iron River from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, followed by a graveside service June 28.