M. Alan Crosby

M. Alan Crosby, 77,  used up the last of his nine lives on June 17, 2023, at the home he loved in Waterford, Vermont.

Al was born January 8, 1946, in Arlington, Massachusetts to the late Vernon Roy and Thelma Crosby. His father was a spy with the OSS in China, and learned of his birth two weeks later, when the Red Cross tracked him down. Al grew up in Arlington, Danvers, Lexington, Newton Center, Newtonville and Acton, Massachusetts, and Drakes Island, Wells, Moody Beach and Ogunquit, Maine. He graduated from Newton High School and Colby College, making friendships that lasted his entire life.

Al was an adventure seeker early on. He survived falling through the ice on a pond when he was nine. In high school, he ended up in traction after falling off a high bar in gymnastics practice.  He took wild boat rides in a 14-foot Chris Craft out to Boone Island, Maine, regularly dove off the drawbridge at Perkin's Cove at midnight, and cross country skied in 30 below weather (only once).

Little League started a lifelong love of baseball.  He also ran track, played tennis, was a fisherman, enjoyed golf, and could do 20 handstand pushups in his younger years. Al helped his parents run several motels in Maine, was a farm hand, a bartender, a stockbroker, and helped run the Sugar Hill Inn. As a collections manager, he was "the last guy out the door" at St. Johnsbury Trucking and worked for Casella Waste Management until retirement. He designed and helped build his mother's house in Drakes Island, Maine and his own passive solar home in Waterford.
Alan had a vast knowledge of obscure facts. If he didn't know the answer to a question, he would make one up and convince you that he was right. Al loved fishing, skiing, gardening, meeting his friends for coffee or golf, and the many cats he owned throughout his life. He loved weekends in Ogunquit, Maine and winters on a Florida beach. It took several tries, but Alan married the love of his life, Rose Rainville Crosby, 21 years ago on a beach in Hawaii.

He is survived by his wife Rose of Waterford, her son Jon Prue (Tara) of Lyndon, VT, daughter Krystal Tischendorf (Brian) of Ormand Beach, FL, his grandchildren: Colby, Casey, Katie, Jake, Megan, great-grandchild: Logan, his mother-in-law: Cecile Rainville, brother in law: Art Rainville (Ida) of Danville, VT, his sister Becky Grillo (Bobb) of Windham, CT,  brothers: Steve Crosby (Sue) of Newburyport, MA and Jeff Crosby of Terra Haute, IN.

He was predeceased by his sister, Buff Crosby and niece, Kara Grillo.

In honor of Kara who attended the Paul Newnan Camp, donations may be made in lieu of flowers to  holeinthewallgang.org or Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, 555 Long Wharf Dr., New Haven, CT 06511

 Visitation with family and friends will be held from 4-6pm Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer Street in St Johnsbury.  

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. 

Alan's final resting place will be Sunnyside Cemetery in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire. 

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.saylesfh.com