Laconia-----Robert A. McCrea, Sr., 66, of 86 Batchelder Street, died at the VA Medical Center in Manchester on Friday, March 21, 2014.
Robert was born April 27, 1947, in Laconia, the son of the late George and Alice (VanderHarst) McCrea. He was an E-3 LCP1 in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving from 1965-1968 during the Vietnam War.
Robert was a lifetime resident of Laconia and had been employed at Osco Drug Inc. until 1982 and was Bar Manager at the Elks from 2008 until he retired in Dec. of 2013 and also worked a little bit with The Citizen. He was a communicant of St. Joseph Church.
Robert was a Charter and Life Member and a past president of the Laconia Jaycees. From 1973-76, Robert was the State Shooter Education Program Director for the State of New Hampshire Jaycees and was the Laconia Jaycees’ Shooter Education Director for three years. In 1978, he received the U. S. Jaycees’ Recruiting Ambassador Award. He was a long time member and past Exalted Ruler of the Laconia Lodge of Elks #876 and was also a life member of the Disabled American Veterans.
Robert’s motto was “I did it my Way.” Survivors include his wife of seventeen years, Pamela (Young) McCrea, of Laconia; a daughter, Robin A. McCrea Sanborn, and her husband, Douglas, of Belmont; a son, Robert A. McCrea, Jr., and his wife, Shannon, of Laconia; six grandchildren, Kassandra, Keisha and Tori McCrea, Casey DeGroot and Dougie and Jeremy Sanborn; a great granddaughter, Rebecca, and several nephews and nieces. In addition to his parents, Robert was predeceased by his first wife, Marie (Dionne) McCrea, in 1987 and by two brothers, George E. McCrea and Lawrence F. McCrea.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2014 from 5:00-8:00PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. During calling hours, the Laconia Lodge of Elks #876 will conduct a Session of Sorrow at 6:15PM also at the funeral home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 28, 2014 at 10:00 AM at St. Andre Bessette Parish at St. Joseph Church, 30 Church Street, Laconia, N.H.
Burial, with military honors, will follow the Mass at 12:30PM at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, N.H.
For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to a charity of one’s choice.
The family and Gram would like to give a very special thank you to his grandson Casey for taking such great care of his grandfather.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.