John James Crummey

DEERFIELD - John James Crummey, of Dover, formerly of Deerfield, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2016 at the Wadleigh House in Dover, where he had resided for almost 5 years.

He was born on July 13, 1923 in Greenville PA, to James Henry Crummey and Mabel (Donnelly) Crummey. The family moved to Deerfield when John was 7 years old. He had two sisters, Rita Scribner and Eileen Sorensen, and one brother, William Crummey.

John graduated from Coe Brown Northwood Academy in 1942. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in October 1942. After his training as a flight engineer and turret gunner he was eventually based in Cerignola, Italy. On May 6, 1944 he and his fellow crew members were on a bombing mission to Romania (Ploesti Oil Fields) in a Liberator B-24 heavy bomber when they were shot down by a German fighter plane. John parachuted out but was burned from the flames in the bomb bay. He landed near the Danube in Bulgaria and was taken prisoner. He remained a prisoner of war in Bulgaria until his release in September, 1944. John's military service earned him the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.

After the service John worked as a mechanic at a Ford/Mercury dealership in Manchester, and retired as assembly foreman at P.K. Lindsay Co., an air compressor manufacturer in Deerfield, after 30 years. He was a long time member of the American Legion, former Boy Scouts leader, member of the Deerfield Parks and Recreation Commission, former Deputy Fire Chief of the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department. Upon retirement John enjoyed golfing and spending time with his family. He was also a devoted communicant of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Candia.

John married his wife of 56 years, Helen B. (England) Crummey in February 1945, and had 6 children: Carolyn Lavoie, Elena Sly, John E. Crummey, James (Jimmy) Crummey, David Crummey and Sharon Ridley. He also leaves several grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Helen; his daughter Elena; son Jimmy; and sister, Rita.

In 2004 he married Irene B. Shores, an old Deerfield friend. They enjoyed 6 years together until her death in 2010.

SERVICES: A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 10 a.m. at St Joseph's Church, 844 First NH Turnpike (RTE 4), Northwood, NH, followed by a burial at the Old Center Cemetery in Deerfield, NH.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in John's name to Deerfield Voluntary Fire Department, Attn: Mark Tibbitts, PO Box 90, Deerfield, NH 03037.

The family wishes to thank the staff at the Wadleigh House for their wonderful care.

Arrangements are entrusted to Maiden Petrin Funeral Home, Candia, NH. www.MaidenPetrin.com.