November 5, 1951 – September 25, 2024
Legendary Jacksonville disc jockey Arthur Crofton died Sept. 25, prompting an outpouring of condolences from a community that had awakened to his signature British accent for 40 years. He was 72.
Host of the popular WEJZ “Arthur and Yvonne” morning show for the past 15 years, Crofton was a familiar on-air presence to generations of local residents and a friend and mentor to numerous media professionals. Radio and TV host Eden Kendall noted that when she was Crofton’s promotions director in the 1990s, the pair delivered hundreds of deli platters to local businesses.
She also credited him with securing her first television job in a local commercial.
“The impact he had on this community is unmatched,” Kendall wrote on the WEJZ Facebook page. “He took seriously his role of being a part of the fabric of Jacksonville and valued each and every listener and client as a dear friend.”
His co-host Yvonne Valasquez said Crofton’s passing left “a hole in my heart and the city of Jacksonville.”
“Despite the fact that he was a legend in this city – having spent mornings with parents and kids, whose kids are now parents…he never made me feel anything but his equal,” Velasquez wrote. “We talked about everything…not only was he my radio partner, he was my friend…family to me.”
A native of Sheffield, England, Crofton was a devout Episcopalian who cared deeply about giving back to his community. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Laurie Crofton; three children, Teresa Vandre (Christian De Stefanis), Craig Crofton (Sofia) and Lindsay Diaz (Rico); and five grandchildren. He had a great love of animals and is also survived by his dog Fiona and cats Bit, Evie, Fluffy and Lucky.
