

OREGON - Betty Croft has three college degrees and spent decades working as a university librarian.

That’s just one of things you may learn by striking up a conversation with the 87-year-old woman at the base of the landmark Black Hawk Statue desperately in need of repairs.

She returned to the region 22 years ago, soon after retiring from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, and became fast friends with the statue overlooking the Rock River. Croft rests at its base, asking for donations for the statue’s repair and eager to meet tourists from across the globe. She tells them about Lorado Taft, the sculptor whose noble Black Hawk statue was dedicated in 1911.

Even with arthritis and diabetes, she drives through Lowden State Park and takes her post on a nearby wall.

If there’s nary a visitor, she’ll “just say hello” to the statue.

She went to high school in Leaf River before receiving her three degrees from the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. There, she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Latin and another master’s degree in library sciences.

She began her library career at her alma mater, starting in the classics department. Croft spent 27 years at her alma mater before joining the library staff at the Northwest Missouri State University. She spent approximately 10 years working there before retiring completely.

Susan Vela: 815-987-1395; svela@rrstar.com; @susanvela
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