Carlton Crowder, Sr.

Carlton Crowder, Sr., age 86, of Fairfield, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home on Friday, September 2, 2022, under the care of the Hartford HealthCare Hospice Team.
Born in Baltimore, MD on November 3, 1935, Carl moved with his family to Bridgeport, CT as a child. He graduated from Warren Harding High School before enlisting in the Army. While in the Army from 1957-1959, he was stationed in Germany and was proud to have served with Elvis Presley. When Carl returned from the Army, he met his beloved wife Dorothea (Dottie), whom he lovingly referred to as his “bride” over the years. The pair soon married and settled together in Fairfield and began to build their family. Carl worked maintenance for the Town of Fairfield for many years, as well as for Brooklawn Country Club for 30 years before finally retiring.

Carl enjoyed tuning in to watch his two favorite NY teams – the Giants and the Yankees, and loved watching NASCAR more, even after the loss of his favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Carl will be fondly remembered for his upbeat personality; constantly singing show tunes and was always up for playful banter with his quick-witted humor. He loved to tell stories of his time deployed overseas in the Army and truly enjoyed trips to Mohegan Sun Casino over the years with close family friends, Marie and Anthony Mattiolo. His gentle spirit could be seen in his love for animals, particularly his beloved dog, Lucky, and his grand dog “Teddy Bear.” There was nothing Carl cherished more, however, than his family. He loved his wife’s cooking, especially her spaghetti and meatballs.

In addition to his bride of 61 years, Dottie, Carl is survived by his children, Carl Crowder, Jr. (Tammy) of Terryville, Kelly McCarthy (Mark Baldyga) of Newtown, and Carol Ann Crowder; his grandchildren, Carleigh Saffo (Matt), and Cody Crowder (Michelle); and his great-grandchildren, Chloe and Colby Crowder.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at Hartford Healthcare at Home Hospice, and a special thank you to Carl’s two home health aides, Shamone Brown and Doris Newton for their love, compassion, care, and kindness to our father.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Carl on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 11:00 am at Holy Family Church, 700 Old Stratfield Road, Fairfield, CT. Military honors will be presented at the end of the Mass. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Carl’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.SpearMillerFuneralHome.com.