Arthur Lee Moorcroft

Montville — After a valiant 15-year battle with multiple myeloma, Arthur Lee Moorcroft, 88, passed away March 10, 2021, with his family by his side.

Born Feb. 23, 1933, in Norwich, “Lee” grew up on the Lee Farm in Sprague. He graduated from Norwich

Free Academy High School in 1951 and the Ward School of Electronics in 1953. He served in the U.S. Navy 1953 to 1957 as an Electronics Technician first class, was a plank-owner on the USS Saratoga (CVA-60), the largest warship ever built at the time. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1961. He married Shirley May Holmes Aug. 20, 1960.

In June 1961, Lee began working as an engineer for the Department of Defense at the Underwater Sound Laboratory’s transmitter subsystems design section in New London, where he was known as “Art.” The laboratory eventually merged with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, with Art assigned to the Submarine Sonar Department, where he designed signal analysis processing for submarine arrays, beginning with the BQQ array. During his 32-year career, Art was known to always be available to share his knowledge and experience with colleagues.

In retirement, he enjoyed building electronic items, traveling the world with family, gardening, home improvement projects, car maintenance, programming PicStic chips, reading, walking his dogs, spending time in Rhode Island at the family’s Jerusalem cottage, and teaching Bible study classes at Lee Memorial United Methodist Church in Norwich.

Lee loved to give back to the community, he volunteered as a Boy Scout leader, SAMJAM Science Jamboree presenter, maintained the Lee family’s 18th century farmhouse, was active teaching adult education in basic computer use in the 1980s and volunteered on the Hanover Cemetery Committee.

He is survived by his loving wife of over 60 years, Shirley; two sons, Douglas H. Moorcroft of Rhode Island, and James A. Moorcroft of Connecticut; and a brother, David L. Moorcroft of Glastonbury. He was predeceased by his parents, Arthur O. J. Moorcroft and Dorothy Lee Moorcroft.

Due to COVID-19, a celebration of Lee’s life will be held on a later date. Memorial donations may be made to ECHO Cancer Foundation, 330 Washington St., Suite 220, Norwich, CT 06360 or Lee Memorial United Methodist Church, 294 Washington St., Norwich, CT 06360.