David passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, June 28 after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia. He was surrounded by his loving family and wonderful caregivers.
David was born on August 10, 1939 in Boston to Thomas and Margaret Crosby. Their beloved only child, he grew up in Newton where he graduated from Newton High School in 1957 and was both president of his class and captain of the hockey team. David went on to Harvard College where he received his BA degree in 1961. He loved playing on the varsity hockey team there and rowing on the Charles River. Harvard was the place at which he formed lifelong friendships.
He continued his education at Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI and served in the US Navy for four years. Boston University Law School came next, where he met Linda Hug who became his partner for life. They married in 1969 and found their home just north, in Manchester-by-the-Sea, where they would remain for 50 plus year—raising a family and as active members of the community. Both were committed volunteers and elected leaders at various points throughout their lives and enjoyed building many friendships and memories together. She was the grounding force in his life – the yin to his yang—and he was devoted to her and the happy life they built together.
In addition to Linda, David is survived by his daughter Gretchen Crosby Sims, his son Joshua Crosby, and their wonderful spouses and children—Brian, Owen and Charlotte Sims (Chicago) and Amy, Fiona, and Poppy Crosby (Los Angeles). Special family times over so many years were the highlight of David’s life. He also treasured his close friends who created an extended family that he wouldn’t have otherwise had.
David’s professional life as an attorney began at Choate, Hall & Stewart. He then served as in house counsel for New England Life and later joined the law firm of Hayes, Ledoux, Whipple, and King in Salem, MA. His last professional years were spent in Boston at Hellman, Jordan Management. David also contributed his legal skills in his role as a Selectman in Manchester and founder and Chair of the Manchester Conservation Commission.
David had a passion for rowing. He and his father rowed in the first Head of the Charles Regatta in 1964. A member of the Union Boat Club—and its President for several years—he introduced so many to the sport, including his son who would build a career around it and continue to spread rowing’s many gifts. He and Josh were celebrated for their father/son participation in the Regatta’s 50th anniversary in 2014.
In Manchester, life was sweet for David, a lifelong New Englander and waterman. He loved summers on his boat, spinning the beach for a quick dip, and daily walks through the village. Winters found him skating on local ponds, coaching hockey teams, and hosting skiing expeditions. He was always up for an adventure, organizing field trips to Boston to watch Harvard hockey or the Boston Red Sox, hiking up Tuckerman’s Ravine, or yodeling down Sugarloaf Mountain as a trail of kids followed.
A fantastic father, his love of his kids and others was constant and unparalleled. He will long be remembered for the values he exemplified, and the encouragement given to so many young people who relied on his steady presence and optimism. He instilled confidence in the people he touched, helping them see for themselves that their potential was limitless – and that they could do anything through focus and daily effort. Affable, dashing, and notably kind to all who knew him, David was a devoted son, husband, father and friend.
In addition to his wife, children and their families, David is survived by too many friends to name, but who stuck by him through his extended illness and supported him every step of the way. David’s family extends its deep appreciation for the outstanding care given to him during the last several months of his life and especially to his live-in caregivers, Felicity Fowler and Shanique Peart, who provided full time love and attention for over a year and a half.
The family looks forward to sharing special memories at a celebration of his life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Care Dimensions, Suite B-102, 75 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923.
