Suzanne (Moore) Crossley

Suzanne (Moore) Crossley was born in Bridgeport, CT, on November 29, 1930, to Mrs. Mary (Dorward) Moore, formerly of Worcester, MA, and Mr. J. Robert Moore, formerly of Winsted, CT and Worcester, MA. Mrs. Moore graduated from Rogers Hall Finishing School, Lowell, MA; Mr. Moore graduated from Clark University, Worcester, with a Physics degree. The couple moved to Bridgeport where Mr. Moore joined his brother Richard Moore in business and engineering at Moore Special Tool Co.

Suzanne attended Nathan Hale Elementary School, Maplewood Junior High and two and a half years at Bassick High School. The family moved to Petersham, MA, in 1947, where Suzanne attended one half year at Bancroft School, then attended Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, MA, then went on to attend and graduate from Mount Holyoke College for Women, South Hadley, MA, in 1952. Miss Moore received her BA in Biology; she sang four years in choir, three years in glee club, and three years with the V8’s. Following graduation, she married Joseph Crossley of Princeton, NJ. After marriage, they lived in Stamford, CT where they had their three sons.

They moved to NJ, then PA where Mrs. Crossley attended Penn State and earned her Elementary Teaching certification. They returned to NJ, and she earned her MA in Advanced Elementary Education from Keane State College. She taught 5th, 7th and 8th grades at the John Hill School in Boonton for 18 years. She was a member and secretary of the New Jersey Science Teachers Association (NJSTA), then became secretary for the New Jersey Science Convention for five years. She became a Life Member of NJSTA. During her tenure at Boonton, Mrs. Crossley won three State Grants for Innovative Teaching. She retired after a short stint with the Hillsborough NJ District, completing 20 years as an educator.

Suzanne moved to NH, where she could be nearer to her mother, who was ill. She purchased a house in Jaffrey, remodeled and expanded it; she developed an ambitious garden with landscaping, and cherished and perpetuated the wildflowers growing on the property.

Mrs. Crossley cared for her mother until her passing in 1998, then applied herself to volunteer work in Jaffrey: first to the Civic Center for five years, then to the Jaffrey Woman’s Club where she actively wrote publicity. She was a member of the Scholarship Committee and chairperson of the Education Committee. She was a member of the Peterborough Garden Club, where she wrote publicity.

Dear to her was her membership in the United Church of Jaffrey. Most treasured were her three sons, 9 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by both her eldest son, Robert M. Crossley and his wife Ann Crossley of Wolfeboro, NH. She is survived by her sons, Peter J. Crossley and his wife Janet of Enfield, CT and Lawrence A. Crossley and his wife Virginia of Concord, NH. Her grandchildren Robert, Jr., Desiree, Rhiannon, Kimberly, Candice, P. Matthew, Kirsten, Stephanie and Danny, and all her great-grandchildren, will miss her terribly.

Mrs. Crossley’s cremation will be arranged by the Cournoyer Funeral Home; there will be no public service. Her ashes will be buried at the East Street Cemetery, Petersham, MA, in her parents’ burial plot.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the United Church of Jaffrey, 54 Main Street, Jaffrey, NH 03452, or to the Jaffrey Woman’s Club, PO Box 116, Jaffrey, NH 03452, in memory of Suzanne M. Crossley. Your gifts will be gratefully received.