Notes from the Old Noank Jail
Alicia Crossman – a life well lived
by Ed Johnson
Noank lost another “Saint” recently: Alicia G. (Burdick) Crossman. She passed on March 18, 2019 just 2 months shy of her 94th birthday, leaving her husband Errol, three married children, her married sister Vivian, multiple grand-children and great-grand-children, along with many other relatives.
My wife and I got to know Alicia after we moved to Noank full-time with our young daughter in 1978 and joined the Noank Baptist Church (NBC). She struck us as a friendly, kind and enthusiastic leader who seemed sincerely interested in helping others and providing a nurturing church environment, especially for young children. They really enjoyed the attention she paid them, along with her singing and piano playing.
Her memorial service at NBC on March 30, 2019 brought forth her history as a “true Noanker”…one actually born in Noank itself and not at a nearby hospital. Alicia grew up as the eldest child of Thomas and Alice Burdick in a Noank home close to the water with three younger brothers plus a younger sister. She was considered something of a “tomboy” but a well behaved, hard working, attractive girl as well. Apparently, she learned to conquer fear at an early age after her father tied a safety rope around her waist, threw her into the water and watched her learn how to swim, rather abruptly!
Alicia’s mother was a role model for treating others with kindness and respect; with her guidance, Alicia developed into a responsible, compassionate person with a strong personality. This enabled her to assume the position of authority figure and role model for the other children when their mother died unexpectedly at age 49. Alicia’searly life centered around the NBC, a mainstay of village activities, where she developed her strong soprano voice, piano playing and dancing skills.
At age 14, she met and dated a 16 year old boy, Errol Crossman, whom she would eventually marry. When WWII broke out, Errol served overseas in the US Army Air Corps as a Bomber nose gunner during at least 30 very dangerous missions over Germany. Like many women with their men overseas during the War, Alicia waited for Errol while she finished Fitch High School with high grades and worked as a stenographer at Electric Boat (EB) as part of her senior year program.
After Errol finally came home after the war, they married at the NBC on June 7, 1945 with a wedding reception later on the top floor of the Mohegan Hotel in New London…which involved a lot of dancing…and a marriage that would last 73 years until her death. Errol then worked at EB and later caught lobsters for 27 years with his father and others in the Noank boat “Falcon,” built and launched in 1942 by the family.
After moving to their present home on Pearl St. in Noank, Errol and Alicia raised three children, Thomas, Barton and Errolee. Later on, when the kids were older, Alicia went to work as a teacher’s aide with her close friend, Ruth Hodgson. This took pressure off Ruth, who was dealing with a class of over 25 “active” young children. Alicia played piano and taught them dancing to wear off some of their energy!
Later on, Errol was hired by the Groton School Board and Alicia worked at the Mystic Seaport education department. By this time, she had become involved with the NBC Sunday School and Music departments while serving as one the earliest female Deacons. She continued with her piano, choir, dancing, quilting and baking activities. We remember her enthusiasm for helping other people and being a motivating force behind community activities. Meanwhile, the periodic Burdick, Crossman, Borden & Latham combined family celebration gatherings grew to such size as to require the entire lower floor meeting area of the Noank Firehouse to house their rather “high-spirited” events!
A “Saint” can be described as “a person acknowledged as being holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in Heaven after death.” At her memorial service, Rev. Paul Hayes referenced Alicia as being similar to a bird that starts singing early in the morning by itself, even though it is still very dark and quiet outside. The bird encourages us to have faith, the sun will rise and we still have a new day ahead of us.
One of Alicia’s favorite songs was, indeed…..”My life flows on….How can I keep from singing?”
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