Kenneth A. Crossman

Waltham – Mr. Kenneth A. Crossman of Waltham, died Thursday, August 23, 2012, in Meadow Green Nursing Home, Waltham. He was 88.

Ken was born in Groton on March 28, 1924, a son of the late Garfield F. and Annie M. (Ahearn) Crossman. He was raised in Brighton and was a graduate of Boston English High School and Northeastern University.

During World War II he served with the United States Marine Corps. A couple of weeks shy of his twenty-first birthday Ken found himself aboard a Naval transport ship full of other young First Marine Division riflemen bound for the Ryukyu Islands and its biggest island, Okinawa, to embark on an 80 day plus battle described by some as the "typhoon of steel". By its end, in June 1945, what began as the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific resulted in a decisive Allied victory that set the stage for the war's end that came two months later. He finished out his war service by doing peace-keeping duty in China before being discharged in August, 1946.

After the war Ken returned home to Brighton where, on October 18, 1947, he married his sweetheart, Brighton native Rita H. LaBrack, in Saint Columbkille's Church on Market Street. Around the same time he became an officer with the Massachusetts Environmental Police. Trained at the Massachusetts State Police Academy his responsibilities grew with the agency which handled oversight of all marine and inland environmental issues throughout the state. He held various supervisory roles during his career before being named director of the agency in 1976, a post he held until his retirement.

Ken and Rita moved to Waltham in 1954 where they raised their family and have been residents since.

Always an avid outdoorsman he enjoyed fresh and salt water fishing and hunting. Ken also volunteered his time as a leader with the Boy Scouts and with the Catholic Youth Organization at Our Lady's Church in Waltham.

In addition to his wife of 65 years, Rita, he leaves his children, Kenneth A. Crossman, Jr. of Ipswich, Leonard G. Crossman, Sr. and his wife, Judith, of Orange, Nancy E. Sullivan and her husband, Timothy, and Peggy A. Sullivan and her husband, Christopher, all of Chelmsford; his grandchildren, Julia P. Gallant, Leonard G. Crossman, Jr., Stacey L. Sullivan, Bradford S. Sullivan, David P. Sullivan, Teresa M. Sullivan, and Christopher J. Sullivan, Jr.; his great-grandchildren, Emmalen Gallant, Malia Crossman and Annabelle Crossman and many nieces and nephews.

Ken was also a brother of the late Vincent J. Crossman, Lawrence G. Crossman and Virginia P. Imbeault.

Family and friends will honor and remember Ken's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Monday, August 27th, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham, where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, National Processing Center, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.