Blanche M. Crudden

AUBURN -- Blanche M. Crudden, 85, a former resident of Augusta, died Monday, March 3, 2008, at Clover Manor Nursing Home, where she had resided for the past two years.

She was born in City Island, N.Y., on Dec. 1, 1922, one of 11 children born to John and Catherine (O'Gorman) Knapp, and was educated in New York City.

She was very proud to have been born and raised in New York, with her family being traced back 20 generations to when New York was known as New Amsterdam. She was also very proud that her parents had generously donated a piece of their property to Manhattan Island which has become known as the Central Park Zoo.

She was a communicant of St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in New York, having received all of her sacraments at the family church.

She moved to St. James, N.Y., following her marriage to Vincent Crudden Sr., where they made their home for more than 20 years. Blanche worked for the telephone company in New York before moving to Augusta in 1976, where she worked for the state Department of Conservation for many years.

Blanche had a great sense of humor and, for a very well dressed older lady, had a very steady hand at target shooting, fooling many workers at the county fairs and winning her share of stuffed animals and other prizes.

She always looked forward to spending time with her family and especially the grandchildren enjoying the outdoors of Maine. She had a flare for decorating, enjoyed bowling and Scrabble, and was an avid gardener.

She is survived by two children, Vincent Crudden and his wife, Angela, of Coram, N.Y., and Rita M. Pakulski and her husband, Todd, of North Yarmouth; and four beloved grandchildren, Caitlin Crudden, of Coram, Keith Crudden, of Setauket, N.Y., and Liam Vincent Pakulski and Nolan Francis Pakulski, of North Yarmouth.

She was predeceased by an infant son, Richard Dennis Crudden; an infant grandson, Shawn Vincent Crudden; and all of her siblings.

Local funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday at Finley Funeral Home, 15 Church St. in Livermore Falls, with a celebration of Blanche's life following the service from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Friday at the St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in City Island, Bronx, N.Y. Interment at Pelham Bay Cemetery, 73 Early St., City Island, N.Y. Messages of condolence may be sent to www.fin leyfuneralhome.com.