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Promoted to Glory
Brigadier Alma Crotty |
Brigadier Alma Crotty was promoted to Glory on January 28th, 2004 from her hospital bed at the Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She was 92 years old.
Alma Crotty was born in Braeside, Ontario on November 14, 1911. As a teenager she was active in the Girl Guard program of her corps in Grande Prairie, Alberta. As she grew older she became more aware of the call of God upon her life. Responding to God’s call in her life, she attended The Peace River Bible Institute in Grande Prairie. After completing her studies there, she applied to the officer training school in Canada. To her surprise she was not accepted because of her small stature and light weight—but this did not deter her. Continuing her quest for officership, she moved to Chico, California. She was accepted into training and commissioned in 1940 with the Steadfast Session.
Alma’s first appointment was to Kelso, Wash. to assist. Other corps assignments in the Northwest Division followed, along with appointments in the Oregon and Southern Idaho Divisions. In 1948 she became assistant at the Boise, Idaho Booth Hospital. For the next three years she served in Booth Hospitals in Denver, Oakland and San Diego. In 1952 Alma returned to corps work, serving in Washington, Colorado and California. In 1956 she was appointed to the territorial finance department, with other administrative appointments following in the education department and then at the training school. She returned to corps work in 1962 and in 1971 assumed command of the Renton, WA Corps, her last appointment before retiring in 1972.
In retirement, Brigadier Crotty moved back to Canada and went to work for The Vancouver Men’s Social Service Center as the switchboard operator. She worked there for almost ten years.
A memorial service was held at the Salvation Army Glenmore Temple Corps in Calgary, Alberta with Colonel William Ratcliffe officiating.
