Hometown: Lebanon, Mo.
Family: Wife, Melani; son, Jacob and daughter-in-law, Jessica; daughter, Tabitha and son-in-law, Shane
In Town: To say chiropractic medicine is the family business is no small statement for the Crocker family. Born and raised in Lebanon, Mo., Jack Crocker has spent his entire life in his hometown with the exception of two years during the Vietnam War era when he was stationed in Germany.
“I started out going to medical school and was working as a radiology technician while in school in ERs and ORs,” Jack, who spent more than 30 years as a chiropractor, explained. “I was helped by a Lebanon chiropractor, Dr. Saeger, when I was a child. I decided that would be a better way for me to help people, too.
“I met my wife while in chiropractic school but I really hadn’t planned on returning to Lebanon. My parents asked me to come back and see if I couldn’t find a location here that would be suitable to open my own clinic. And, of course, within three days, we found the lot where my clinic still stands today.”
In the Country: “We live by Sleeper, Mo., where I raise SimAngus cattle and keep about 70 cow/calf pairs on 200 acres. I did registered cattle for a time, but there is too much involved in that, with keeping track of the weights and all the paperwork and I just don’t have the time for all of it these days. I still keep the bloodlines and sell my cattle at the Lebanon and Buffalo sale barns. My daughter and her family live across the road and my son lives in Springfield. They both own cattle and we often work them together.
“I also raise horses, both FoxTrotters and Quarter horses. I have nine right now, having cut back in recent years when I had about 15. Right now, I have two Rocky Mountain colts that I’m getting ready to have trained.
Jack is also working on completing the installation of 10 to 12 rotational grazing paddocks.
“We got the water in last year and now we’re finishing up the fencing,” he said. “Once you get the cattle trained in going from one paddock to the next, there is not much work involved in moving them. The Lord has truly blessed me, with family, as a chiropractor and in the livestock business as well.”
