THE FOLLOWING OBITUARTY APPEARED IN THE MANCHESTER CRICKET

Samuel Sturgis Crocker, husband of the late Eileen P. Crocker, died Friday, June 24, 2005, at his son's house in Essex, Massachusetts at the age of 88. He was a well respected boatbuilder and the son of internationally known naval architect, Samuel S. Crocker.

Sturgis graduated from Story High School, Manchester in 1934. Sturgis career in boatbuilding started right after high school when he went to work for Britt Brothers in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he worked until 1935. For the next three years Sturgis became a bit of an entrepreneur hunting and trapping, raising mink, doing custom cabinet and drafting at his father's office. Drawn to boat building, Sturgis then worked for the well known boatbuilder, David (Bud) Mclntosh in Dover Point New Hampshire. With the onset of WWII, Sturgis went to work first at the Portsmouth Navy Yard and then at the Boston Navy Yard. He enlisted in the Construction Battalion, United States Navy, and then worked at Calderwood Yacht Yard (now Manchester Marine) building the 110' subchasers until 1946.

In 1946, Sturgis purchased White's boat yard on Manchester Harbor, and he and his wife, Eileen, established Crocker's Boat Yard. Over the next thirty years, Sturgis' boatbuilding and sailing skill and Eileen's bookkeeping expertise developed the business into a thriving boat yard. Sturgis not only enjoyed boatbuilding, but he loved to race sailboats, and in the 50's and early 60's he raced his Crocker 20 "Kit" every summer weekend. In the mid 60's, he built his sloop-rigged sailboat "Fiveply", a Crocker 40, and raced her successfully up until this year.

In addition to his maritime interests, Sturgis had a great love of hunting and shooting and the outdoors in general. As a youth he fished and hunted locally, and as an adult enjoyed his Fall deer hunting trips to Effingham, New Hampshire, with local friends Borden Foster and Al Porter and duck hunting with Henry Brown. More recently, he hunted as member of the Blue Mountain Forest Association in New Hampshire. He was a life member of the Cape Ann Sportsmen's Club and the N.R.A.

Sturgis married, Eileen Catherine Pembroke of Manchester, in 1942, and they settled in at the 138 Bridge Street address, where they lived with Eileen's parents and eventually purchased the property when Eileen's parents passed away. Sturgis and Eileen lived at this location until Eileen's death in 1990.

Sturgis was one of the founding members of the Manchester Harbor Boat Club and an Honorary member of the Manchester Yacht Club.

Sturgis is survived by two sons, Samuel S. Crocker IV and wife Paula of Essex and William A. Crocker of Damariscotta, Maine. One daughter, Catherine (Kitty) Crocker Palmer and her husband Meredith (Ringo) of Essex; two grandsons S. Sturgis Crocker V and his wife Julie of Essex and Brenden W. Crocker and his wife Melissa of Beverly; four granchildren, Samuel S. Crocker VI of Essex, and Noor, Beatrice and Finn Crocker of Beverly; cousin Dan Knott of Barnstable; sister-in-law Bette Crocker of Vermont; nephews Justin Crocker, Bennett Crocker. In addition, Sturgis leaves his beloved friend and companion, Eileen Brown. Sturgis was predeceased by brother George P. Crocker of Vermont and sister Anna M. Crocker of Manchester, and uncle of John and Jane Pembroke of Crozet, CA, Barbara and her husband Ron Fotos of Salt Lake City, Utah.

There will be a Memorial Service for Sturgis at the First Parish Congregational Church in Manchester Friday, July 1, 2005 at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers contributions to Hospice of the North Shore, 10 Elm Street, Danvers, MA 01923 - Arrangements are by the Lee, Moody & Kussell Funeral Home, 9 Bane St., Beverly.