George A. Cronin

Niantic — George Anthony Cronin, 84, died peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 12, in Niantic. He was born in Cambridge, Mass. in 1936, the son of George and Ruth (Boyd) Cronin and brother of the late Lianne Marie Cronin.

George attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in civil engineering, and had a long and successful career as a civil engineer and project manager on a wide range of wellknown commercial buildings across New England. On July 19, 1963, George married his “Sweetheart” Mary Cosker Cronin. They settled in East Granby, where they raised their two daughters, Deirdre and Maura. George was a longtime volunteer firefighter, a member of East Granby Fire Department and a founding member of the East Granby Ambulance Association.

An avid fan of the Boston Bruins and Hartford Whalers, he never met a dog, a donut or a whole-bellied clam he did not love. One of his favorite pastimes was to complete the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle — but only in ink — and was a great Trivial Pursuit player, as long as you didn’t want to take a turn. Through it all, George loved and was always there for his family. He was up for driving a 1969 Ford Bronco back from New Mexico with his sonin-law or transporting a few neurotic dogs from North Carolina to Rhode Island for his daughter. He loved travel, and thoroughly enjoyed visiting Costa Rica, China, India, South Africa, Namibia and other exotic places with his children and grandchildren — trying all the local food along the way.

After many summer vacations spent at Giants Neck Beach in Niantic while the girls were growing up, George felt very fortunate to be able to retire with Mary in 2014 to the beach he loved. He celebrated 37 years of sobriety Dec. 27, 2020, and provided invaluable friendship and guidance as a sponsor to so many in recovery at the Happy Hour Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in East Granby. But far and away his favorite role was as “Boppa” to his grandchildren, Katherine, Sarah, John, Sam and Sadie.

George leaves behind his loving wife of 57 years Mary; his daughter Dr. Deirdre Cronin Vorih and son-in-law Joseph Vorih; and his daughter Maura Cronin Spector and son-in-law Dr. Jeremy Spector; and his grandchildren.

To those mourning his loss, know he lived a great life and would be reminding you now — “stop the nonsense, it is what it is.”

Memorial donations may be made to Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery — www.ccar.us.