Jan 25, 1921 Jan 16, 2010 88 years Winchester, MA Bethany, CT
Viewing Information
Calling Hours
At Funeral Home
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Thursday, January 21, 2010 8:45am to 9:15am
At Funeral Home
Service Information
Mass
Thursday, January 21, 2010 10:00am
St. Vincent Ferrer Church
1006 New Haven Road (Route 63)
Naugatuck, CT 06770
203-723-7497
Final Disposition
Burial
Thursday, January 21, 2010 Following Service
Carrington Cemetery, Bethany
Flowers
Funeral Home
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 10:00am to 2:30pm Bethany Florist
Contribution
Saint Raphael Foundation, 1450 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06511
Obituary
Edward J. Kroesser, age 88, of Bethany CT, died on January 16, 2010 after a brief illness. Born in Winchester, Massachusetts on January 25, 1921, he was the son of the late Ludwig and Margaret (Fonsell) Kroesser. Ed graduated from Quincy High School in 1939 and entered the Army Air Corp. He served as a technical sergeant during World War II and remained in the service until the end of the war. Ed received his engineering education in the Air Corp. Upon leaving the service Ed returned to Quincy where he married Helen (Reed) Kroesser in 1947.
Ed accepted a job with Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT and relocated his small but growing family to Milford. Ed served as a project engineer for the next 30 years. He was part of the team that developed the first Presidential helicopter for President John F. Kennedy. His contributions to the helicopter industry were numerous and he developed patents that were used to increase the safety and reliability of U.S. military helicopters.
Ed was the halfback for the Quincy High football team. His love of sports continued but moved from the football field to the golf course. Ed represented Sikorsky Aircraft for many years on their golf league, playing in tournaments in many parts of the country. Although living in Connecticut for many years Ed’s loyalty to the Boston Red Sox never wavered.
In 1964 Ed and Helen built a summer home in Epping, NH on land that had been in Helen’s family for many years. Ed hand built their home on the banks of the Lamprey River. With help from his two young sons, they completed all facets of the home that the family enjoyed for many years.
Ed was a communicant of St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Naugatuck, CT and was affiliated with the Knights of Columbus. He served and loved his country and had an unwavering faith. Most of all he loved his family. At a recent family gathering he was heard saying to Helen, his wife of 62 years, “Look what we started all those years ago. Isn’t this great!”
In addition to his loving wife Helen, Ed is survived by five daughters: Cheryl K. Broderick of Oxford, CT, Nancy K. O’Loughlin and her husband James of Dracut, MA, Theresa K. Romano and her husband Martin of Milford, CT, Helen K. German and her husband Bruce of Woodbridge, CT and Suzanne K. Werth and her husband Peter of Woodbridge, CT. and two sons: E. James Kroesser, Jr. and his wife Mary of Ipswich, MA and Peter R. Kroesser and his wife Lynne of Orange CT. Thirteen grandchildren and one great granddaughter, and many nieces and nephews also survive him. His sisters Theresa Schott, Edna Beck, and his brother John Kroesser predeceased him.
His funeral will be held on Thursday, January 21 at 9:15am from the Naugatuck Valley Memorial/Fitzgerald Zembruski Funeral Home, 240 North Main Street, Naugatuck to St. Vincent Ferrer Church, 1006 New Haven Road, Naugatuck for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am. Burial with military honors will follow in Carrington Cemetery, Bethany. Calling hours will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4-7pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Saint Raphael Foundation, 1450 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06511. To send an on-line condolence, please visit www.naugatuckvalleymemorial.com