Arthur Jeremiah "Jerry" Crowley, Jr., 58, of Clearwater, Florida, formerly of New Bedford died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005, unexpectedly at home of natural causes. He was the husband of Dolores J. (Lacerte) Crowley of Denver, Colorado.
Born in Dorchester, he was the son of the late Arthur J. Crowley Sr. and Margaret E. (Myette) Crowley. He was raised in New Bedford and moved to Clearwater late last year.
He was a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford. He was a man of deep faith.
He graduated from New Bedford High School, Southeastern Massachusetts University and UMass Boston. He was a doctorate candidate. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War, attaining the rank of SP5. He received the Expert Rifle Badge, National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
In the 1980s, he was a purchasing director at Hanscom Air Force Base. He also had been a purchasing director for M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory. He had owned and operated gift shops on Cape Cod. For the past 15 years, he was a counselor and wrote grant proposals for agencies that provide services to addicts. Most recently he was chief operating officer of High Point Treatment Center in New Bedford.
He relished discussing politics from the world stage to New Bedford City Hall, and in the 1970s he ran for City Council.
Mr. Crowley loved to travel, read and watch the news, sports and movies. As a teenager, he surfed and played in a garage band.
Many went to Mr. Crowley for help because he listened, reserved judgment and delivered advice with acumen. He valued education and family.
Survivors include his widow; a son, Nicholas P. Crowley, and his companion, Alicia Pimental, of Fairhaven, Mass.; a daughter, Rebecca L. Coleman, and her husband, Ben, of Boston; an aunt, Viola Osborne of New Bedford; five stepchildren, Amelia Todd, Matthew Cudish, Jody Usrey and Rebecca Edwards, all of Colorado, and Kristen Eatmon of Wyoming; his mother-in-law, Ora Lacerte of New Bedford; a brother-in-law, Leo Lacerte of New Bedford; a sister-in-law, Deborah Kirby of New Bedford; and several stepgrandchildren.
He was the nephew of the late Clifford Crowley.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church on Tuesday November 22, 2005 at 10:15 AM. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, New Bedford. His Family will receive visitors at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford on Monday November 21, 2005 from 6-8 PM.