Bert V. Cronin Jr. ’70 was born to Bert Sr. and Peggy Cronin on Jan. 25, 1948, at Everett General Hospital. Bert attended both Immaculate Conception and Perpetual Help Catholic schools and spent his youth in Everett, Washington, playing sports, serving as an altar boy, and helping his father in the lumber yard. In 1966, Bert graduated from Everett High School as a proud Seagull and went on to attend SCU, where he made lifelong friends and earned his degree in economics. After graduating from Santa Clara, Bert returned to the Everett area, working side-by-side with his father in the construction business. In 1974, he started his own construction and development company, Cronin Homes. Building custom homes and developing properties were his passions for many years. On Aug. 11, 1979, Bert married Roxanne Blair at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Bert could always make Roxi laugh, even at a joke she had heard countless times. They were true partners in life for over 43 years. Together they raised three children, Joe Cronin ’03, Kelli Cronin ’04, and John Cronin ’07. Family meant everything to Bert, and he loved being a father. Bert passed on to his children his love of sports, the importance of family, a strong work ethic, and his passion to make a difference in the community. He was their coach, their mentor, and will forever be their biggest fan. Bert always said, “You need to leave a place better than you found it,” a mantra inspired by his strong Catholic faith, and he certainly “walked the talk” through the numerous projects that he did to better the Lake Stevens and Everett communities. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County, the Lake Stevens and Everett School Districts, and other local nonprofit organizations were all causes Bert was so proud to support. He was always willing to lend a hand, especially to help young people reach their full potential. Throughout most of his life, Bert coached youth sports and was a positive role model and influence in the lives of many. He particularly loved coaching baseball, his favorite sport, and would even show up early to rake the field and could usually be found coaching from first base. Those who knew Bert best would say he was a leader. He was strong-minded and an independent thinker. He was honest, fair, loyal, a devoted friend, and a tireless volunteer. He loved telling jokes and making people laugh. Those who were fortunate enough to cross his path left with a smile on their face. Bert passed away on Feb. 13, 2019, and leaves behind his loving wife, Roxi; his children, Joe (Jamie), Kelli (Peter), and John; his grandchildren, Kylie and Brady; his siblings, Colleen, Connie (Bill), and Mike; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.