John Thomas Crowley, 93, of Winooski, Vermont died peacefully on Thursday, October 22, 2026 at Our Lady of Providence Residential Care in Winooski. John was in the company of many family members at his passing.

John was born in Winooski, Vermont. on September 27, 1933 to Paul Sterling Crowley and Berthe (Dion) Crowley into a large family devoted to their Catholic faith and their responsibilities to family, community, and country. Raised with a strong work ethic and a love of sports, especially baseball and football, John had a special connection to the local farms that were still a significant aspect of life in Winooski and Colchester. He attended school at the St. Louis Convent, St. Francis Xavier School, and Winooski High School, where he was a varsity athlete in football and baseball. In 1951 he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he received training as a cook and in culinary management. During the Korean war he served at a radar station in northern Japan.

After re-enlisting and being stationed near home at Ethan Allen Air Force Base (now Camp Johnson), John married Henriette Gelinas of Burlington on May 11, 1957. As they travelled across the country to new military assignments, John and Henriette raised seven children in a home centered on faith, learning, and service to others. In 1963, John was assigned to the newly formed Air Force Academy to support the management of the cadet dining hall. John earned a Commendation Medal for his outstanding service to the Commandant of Cadets Unit. During every new tour of duty, John was active in faithful service to the Catholic community on the base and in support of youth sports, where he often served as a coach and game official.

John retired from the Air Force in 1972 with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He brought his family back to Vermont, raising them in a home on North Street in Winooski. He began a second career as a mail carrier for the US Postal Service. He loved gardening, home improvement projects and outdoor activities like fishing and hunting, especially with his brothers, sons, and nephews. John was active in fundraising activities for Saint Francis Xavier School and parish, always willing to offer his skills as a cook and event manager to ongoing projects like the Parish Bazaar, weekly Bingo, and many special events, including wakes and weddings.

He is survived by his brother Glenn, his ex-wife, Sharon; his children, Alan John (Teresa), Gary Paul (Judy). Raymond Henry (Debbie), Peter Roger (Mary Ann), Duane Martin, Celeste Rose-Anne, Margaret Madeleine (Clement O’Brien, Jr), and Zachary John; and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who affectionately knew him as “Pepere.”

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Marguerite, Constance, Louise, Madeleine and his brothers, Paul, Charles, Duane, Douglas, Leonard, and George, as well as by his wife Henriette, his daughter in-law Dianne Almasy Crowley, and many beloved cousins, in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held Thursday, October 29 at 11:00 am at St. Francis Xavier Church in Winooski, followed by internment among friends and family in St. Francis Cemetery. There will be no wake or reception. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Our Lady of Providence Residential Care, 47 W Spring St, Winooski, VT 05404.