Obituary of Joseph F. Crowley

Joseph F. Crowley, 83, of New Britain, died Thursday Night (Sept. 17, 2020) at his home. Born January 7, 1937 to Joseph A, and Anna Reynolds Crowley in New Britain. He attended St. Thomas Seminary, graduated from New Britain Senior High School and attended Georgetown University and the University of Hartford. He served as a New Britain police officer before joining the Hartford Times where he was a crime and court reporter. He later joined the staff of WTIC Radio and TV where he served as an on-air reporter, writer and news producer. During that time, he covered every major crime story and criminal trial in Connecticut and New England. He also served as a guest instructor at the Connecticut Municipal Police Training Academy in Meriden, Ct. Following that, he served as director of the Public Information Office of the Connecticut State Police and as executive assistant to the state police commissioner. He found time to return to New Britain and assist in training and supervising an auxiliary police unit that included a volunteer police rescue squad that won several awards and state-wide competitions. He closed his career as the director of Public Affairs at New Britain General Hospital. He served on the parish councils of the churches he attended. He called himself the “oldest alter boy” and lastly served as a Eucharistic Minister at St Katherine Drexel Parish. Joseph is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Wolny) Crowley; his children, Kevin Crowley and his wife Lisa, Thomas Crowley and his wife Jackie, Maureen Bracco, Timothy Crowley and his wife Lauren, Christine Youmans and her husband Erik, John Crowley, and Kathleen Tartt and her husband Jason, his grandchildren, who were his world, Samantha Colangelo, Tyler and Andrew Crowley, Christopher and Alex Bracco, Nicholas Crowley and Matthew Crowley and Adam, Ayyub, Bilal, Safiyyah and Ibrahim Tartt and his great grandson, Calvin Bracco. He also leaves his sisters Joanne Casey and husband Gerald and MaryEllen Kindelan and husband Davey and many nieces and nephews. He had many friends that were important to him, especially Mary and Frank Rich. Family and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial Friday (Sept. 25, 2020) at 10:00 AM at Saint Katharine Drexel Parish (St. Jerome Church) 1010 Slater Road New Britain. Burial will follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Bristol. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent Saint Katharine Parish 1010 Slater Rd. New Britain, CT 06053 or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 20 Batterson Park Rd. Farmington, CT 06032.