Virginia Anne Crossett, 80 years young, resident of Waterbury, Vermont, died at 10 p.m. on Monday, April 4, 2011, at the Respite House in Williston following a short illness. She grew up in Franklin, Vermont, on the Stanley farm, the daughter of Howard Bruce Stanley and Gratia Potter Stanley. She had seven siblings. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by six siblings: Robert Stanley, Oscar, Esther Justus, Bruce Stanley and John Stanley.
She leaves her son, John Maurice Crossett Jr., her daughter Pamela, her daughter-in-law Lori Tallman Crossett, her grandchildren John, Sean and Jessie Crossett and her two sisters Betty Marie and her husband Stanton Montague of Albany, New York, and her sister Shirley Ann and her husband George Kron of Maryland and her sisters-in-law Rosemary and Susan, plus her many nieces and nephews.
Her interests in life were many. She played basketball all four years of high school, lettering in the sport. She supported her family working as a secretary for the state of Vermont until retirement, and later returned to volunteer in the Parks and Rec Department of the state, earning a certificate of thanks. She participated in the Stanley family reunion every two years. Eating, laughing and sharing memories with almost 100 relatives, many still from Franklin County but some as far flung as Maryland and Arizona.
For over 40 years the driving force in her life was participating in her Christian ministry as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses preaching the good news of the coming kingdom of God. She started working full time in her ministry work almost 20 years ago and she remained active until two months before she died, still sharing her hope and the promise of God's kingdom with people she called on from door to door.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30, at 6 p.m., at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses on Route 100 (first building south of Harwood Union High School).
