The Reverend Dr. James Croom, known to all as Jim, joined the heavenly choir on May 10, 2021. He was born on October 3, 1949 in Fort Hood, Texas to Horace and Irene Croom. Moving from Air Force base to Air Force base, Jim especially loved his time in Great Falls, Montana and his deep love for mountains was born there. Jim completed a master's degree in Vocal Performance at the University of North Carolina. He sang tenor with several opera companies, namely English National Opera, Scottish Opera and San Francisco Opera. He served as Coastal Carolina's Visiting Artist in Jacksonville, NC from 1991 to 1994, in elementary schools, on the base at Camp Lejeune, for community organizations, and at churches. He founded the Coastal Carolina Community Choir, which is still making music today. In 1995, Jim married his beloved Stephanie, whom he met while doing a demonstration for her elementary music students. They moved to San Francisco, where he rejoined the opera chorus and where they began a journey that included seminary and eventual ordination as an Episcopal priest. He graduated from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley in 2000. Jim was ordained in the Diocese of California at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco the same year. He served congregations in Martinez, Palo Alto, and Mill Valley, California, and later in Michigan at Holy Trinity (Wyoming), Holy Spirit (Belmont) and St. Luke's (Kalamazoo). While in Michigan, Jim completed his Doctor of Ministry at Western Theological Seminary (Holland). Jim and Stephanie felt a strong call to move back home to North Carolina and settled in Monroe, NC. He served as interim rector at St Anne's, Winston-Salem and later at St Alban's, Davidson. Jim was named Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Monroe in July of 2018 and served the parish until his death with love, grace, warmth, kindness, and an earnest desire to welcome and know each person in the congregation. Jim lived what he preached: love God and love one another. He had an incredible sense of humor, was a marvelous storyteller and excellent listener, and was constantly searching for wisdom. Jim's love for the least of these, for the children and the elders, for the church and the unchurched, has been experienced by many and will be part of his legacy. Jim is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and his daughter, Rosanna (London, UK); his brothers, HC Croom, Jr., Don (Cleo) Croom of Swansboro, NC, and Barry (Lisa) of Tifton, GA; his sister, Becky Croom (Seven Springs, NC); brother-in-law, George (Joanna) Batson of Charlotte, NC, and their children. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church (P.O. Box 193, Monroe, NC 28111) in Jim's name. The church and the Diocese of North Carolina will announce funeral arrangements when they are available. Holland Funeral Service & Crematory is serving the Croom family.