1921 – 2003

LEWISTON – Jean “Jeanie” Theresa Crosskill, 82, of Frost Hill Avenue, Lisbon Falls died Sunday, Aug. 3, at Central Maine Medical Center after a four month bout with cancer.

She was born in Auburn April 10,1921, the daughter of Charles P. and Mary Casey Taylor. She was a 1939 graduate of Edward Little High School, following graduation she attended and graduated from secretarial school.

She then joined the T.J. Murphy Fur Co. of Lewiston and became secretary to George Murphy and Charles Penney. She modeled furs for the company over Maine and New Hampshire.

In November 1944 she met Lieutenant Jack Crosskill, a member of the British Royal Navy, who had just finished fighter Pilot Training at the Naval Air Station in Grosse Ile, Detroit, Pensacola and Miami in Florida, Lewiston Airport and Brunswick in Maine.

Jack and Jean were married on April 29, 1944 and after the honeymoon at the Parker House Boston and Barbizon Plaza, New York City, they boarded an aircraft carrier and formed a 50 ship convoy from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Glasgow, Scotland, a 10 day trip through U-boat waters. Mrs. Crosskill played piano for the church services aboard ship.

From 1944 to 1948, the Crosskills were at naval air stations in Sherborne, Dorset, Ayr, Scotland and Burscough, Lancashire. She returned to the U.S. to visit family with her one and a half-year-old son, Michael who was born in England. In 1948 Mr. and Mrs. Crosskill immigrated to the U.S. on the Queen Mary and she followed her husbands industrial engineering career between 1948 and 1988 in various locations in Maine, Ohio and Massachusetts.

When the children started College. She worked part-time at the Rosenberg’s Dept. Store, Lisbon Falls, the advertising dept. of the Lewiston Sun Journal, and Leblanc’s Clothing Store in Lewiston.

For years she was a fixture working at the voting polls in Lisbon Falls. She was an avid gardener, and loved her many violet plants. Her cooking was enjoyed by her entire family. She loved to play Scrabble with her daughter, Maureen McLellan, Dorthy McAllister and her mother, Cordula Sowers.

Mr. and Mrs. Crosskill also faithfully watched the seals in May from Spinney’s Restaurant at Popham Beach.

Survivors include her husband of Lisbon Falls; two daughters, Ms Maureen A. McLellan of Litchfield and Ms Karen J. Crosskill of Middleton, Mass.; three sons, Michael J. Crosskill and his wife Carole of Lisbon Falls, Scott A. Crosskill and his wife Nichole of Fryeburg and Charles F. Crosskill and his wife Kathy of River Ridge, La.; two brothers, Ralph Taylor and his wife Marilyn of Lewiston and Charles P. Taylor and his wife Suzanne of Newry; 10 grandchildren, Chad Crosskill, Corey Bedell, Kirsten McLellan, Erik McLellan, Megan McLellan, Erin McLellan, Mitchell Cote-Crosskill, Ashley Cote-Crosskill, Lauren Scrima and Lacey Scrima; three great-grandchildren, Josh, Michaela and Kyle Bedell; a cousin, Mrs. Paul (Shirley) Daignault of Poland; two nieces; and a nephew.