Croft, Jay Leslie

Born at Hartford, CT; deafened at age 5 from meningitis. Clarke School for the Deaf 1948-1955, then transferred to and graduated a public high school in Springfield, MA, 1960. B.A. from Simpson College 1964, then Union Theological Institute in New York City. Dropped out after 1 year, worked at St. Ann's Church for the Deaf in NYC where he learned sign language, then returned to the seminary in fall 1967. Ordained a minister in the Episcopal Church in 1969; served deaf congregations in New York City 1969-1974, northeastern Ohio 1974-1980, Silver Spring and Glenn Dale, MD 1980-1994, and Birmingham, AL, 1994- .