Nancy R. Crone

MERIDEN — Nancy (Ridley) Crone, 88, died peacefully at home of natural causes on Tuesday, July 4, 2017. She was the devoted wife of Paul R. Crone Sr. Nancy was born in Meriden on May 18, 1929, the oldest child of the late William and Elizabeth (Thorpe) Ridley. Nancy resided in Meriden all of her life, graduating from Meriden High School in 1946, followed by her marriage to Paul in 1949. While raising four children, she also worked for extended periods of time with various businesses and organizations. In particular, she worked in the administrative office of Waltsco in Wallingford, serving as the company’s vice president until her retirement in 1989. She especially enjoyed skiing excursions with her family in Vermont that resulted in lasting memories held dear by her husband and children. Nancy had a passion for singing in her youth, being a church soloist, and was gifted with a beautiful soprano voice that will always be remembered by anyone who knew her. She was happiest hosting neighborhood activities at her home on Columbus Ave., from memorable Halloween parties to Independence Day celebrations. Nancy was known as the unofficial “sideline coach” for Platt High School’s football team from the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, urging the coaching staff to use more unorthodox plays to catch opposing teams off guard, with her most notable play (“The Nancy”) contributing to Platt’s victory in the first Stoddard Bowl against cross-town rival Maloney High School. She remained a staunch supporter of the Meriden Public School System throughout her life. In addition to her husband, she is survived by their children, Eric R. Crone of Wilmington, VT; Steven W. Crone of Bethel, ME; Susan (Crone) and Jonathan Berry of Germantown, TN; and Paul R. Crone Jr. of Encinitas, CA. She is also survived by two grandsons, Robert L. Berry IV of Houston, TX and Jonathan S. Berry Jr. of Los Angeles, CA; sister Lorna (Ridley) Bolger of Meriden, CT and brother Peter T. and Ann Ridley of Corona del Mar, CA; and several nieces and nephews. The Crone family is forever grateful to Nancy’s long time friend Patricia Malone, and the professional care and kind support provided by Dr. Audrey Lefkowitz, Ashley Rios, Teri Ambrecht, Denise Torres, and Caterina Marinelli. There will be a memorial celebration of Nancy's life at the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center in Meriden on September 8th from 5-8pm. There will be food/refreshments served accompanied by live music. Memorial testimonials will be from 6:30-7:00. The public is cordially invited. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in memory of Nancy Crone to the Platt High School CNA Program (220 Coe Ave., Meriden, CT 06451).