Croxdale felt like everybody's friend

Some days life can feel like a punch to the ribs. Last Sunday as the
calendar turned to September, life felt that way for the community
of Napa, CA, when learning that Joe Croxdale passed away suddenly
on Saturday night.

The news travelled at the speed of light on Sunday, most notably on
social media, with the community of Napa and those who got to know
him throughout the years still in a state of shock. Though Croxdale
vacated Napa for a segment of his life, he was a quintessential Napan,
along with his family. He attended St. Apollinaris, Justin-Siena and
Fresno State. Joe was involved in football, baseball and track and field,
receiving various awards in the process. 

In 1987, Joe married his wife Terra Lyn Horrell and later raised two
outstanding young men, Jacob and Troy. Joe was a devoted father and
it showed in his happiness when attending various activities that
involved his sons, including but not limited to Napa Saints football,
Napa Little League, 4-H and Napa High. Joe, however, was not just a
face in the crowd as he served as a member of the chain gang. 

From a professional standpoint, Joe retired as Chief Deputy Sealer from
the Napa Agricultural Commissioner’s Office in 2016. After which time
he pursued his passion for the outdoors becoming avid in gardening,
camping, traveling and fishing. Shortly before his passing, Joe took an
Alaskan fishing trip with various friends. His excitement for that
adventure showed through various social media pictures. Those fish were
about the size of Mount Rushmore. 

Joe is survived by his children Jacob, Troy and Terra along with his
siblings, Jim, Jerry and Jeanne. He was predeceased by his parents, Lois
and Ray Croxdale and his brother, John Croxdale.

Services will take place at Claffey and Rota Funeral Home, 1975 Main
Street, Napa, on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of
flowers, please make donations to the “Joe Croxdale Memorial Fund” at
Bank of Marin for scholarships to be awarded to local youth organizations. 

I received the news of Joe’s passing on Sunday morning through a mutual
friend, Dan Boyett. We initially played phone tag but Dan texted me the
news shortly thereafter that Joe has passed away. I seriously can’t think of
a time in my life where I was more at a loss for words, which is a statement
and a half considering that I put things into words for a living for 18 years. 

The trap of a sports reporter’s life when meeting parents is you see them as
“so and so’s dad or mom.” For a short spell, I knew Joe as “Jake’s dad.” In
conjunction with watching Jake, up close and from afar, shine as a student-
athlete, I was getting to know Joe. And my goodness, I am a better man
for having known him. 

I met Joe for the first time, late 1990s or early 2000s if memory serves me
right through someone who turned out to be a mutual friend of ours, the
aforementioned Dan Boyett. Joe and Dan had taken their sons to Oakland
Raiders training camp and I believe various Napa Saints teammates joined
them. Yours truly was covering local sports for the Napa Valley Register
and picking up freelance work for a Raiders fan publication, Silver &
Black Illustrated.

John Boyett, who is Dan’s older son, and Jake, were stars as youths (Yutes
in Joe Pesci’s language) in Napa, CA. They both later continued as stars at
Napa High and in college. John shined for the University of Oregon, while
Jake shined at Sacramento State. 

I covered the Upvalley beat (St. Helena and Calistoga) for ten years but I
frequently crossed paths with Joe at wrestling tournaments because Napa
and St. Helena were often in the same tournament. Since we are both
natives of Napa, we crossed paths semi-often outside of sports. You could
be having the worst day of your life but if you conversed with Joe for
even ten minutes, you were immediately snapped free of any doldrums
that ailed you. 

He had a distinctive smile and laugh. With the latter, you could be in the
next room and not even see the face but if you heard the laugh, you
immediately said, “That’s Croxdale all right!” I have met many people in
my life that were well-liked by many but also disliked in other circles.
With Joe, I would have to look long and hard to find anyone that
disliked him, at least in the social arena. 

One of the many reasons people like Joe have my undying respect is that
he continued to attend high school sporting events even a decade after his
kids were gone. While I do not begrudge those who don’t, I can’t help
but celebrate those who do. 

While I was not a friend of Joe in the sense of doing things socially with
him, the “everybody’s friend,” personality exuded itself so vibrantly that
if you met him for the first time, he was your friend within about 14
minutes. 

The sadness of losing Joe is immutable. People say, “You only live

once.” Not true. You only die once, you live everyday. However, I think

we can live the remainder of our own lives by applying the same

principles with how Joe lived his life.

In the angry world in which we live, I think it speaks volumes that

Joe’s kindness and unmistakable sense of humor never wavered. Perhaps
if we all took a piece of Joe’s principles and applied it to our own lives,
we can collectively make the world a better place.

Joe, I’m in no hurry to get to where you are going but I know we

will meet again someday. My friend, you made everyone’s world a

better place. I’m going to do my part to pay it forward and advise

those around me to reciprocate.

Here’s to you, Joe! Enjoy that sporting event or fishing trip in the sky.