Clara Helen Crosson

Clara Helen (Golen), 78, of North Dartmouth died at Brookdale Sakonnet Bay in Tiverton, RI on Sunday, Feb. 14. Born in Acushnet, the daughter of Frank and Bertha (Kuczera) Golen, she graduated from Holy Family High School in 1955, Miseracordia University, Dallas, PA in 1959 and received a Master’s Degree from Bridgewater State University in 1961. Clara was a devoted wife of 55 years to Dr. James Crosson and a loving mother to her two sons, James D. and David J. Crosson. Clara started as a teacher with the New Bedford Public Schools, transitioned into the Director of Home Economics and retired in 2000 having worked as the Director of Occupational Education for the City of New Bedford for 38 years . She wrote grants and managed skilled training programs for the New Bedford Public Schools – working directly with the Superintendent.

Clara was also a program innovator. She was the first to bring computers to the Bilingual Education Dept. She promoted gender equality in her students – having boys sewing neckties and girls doing woodworking. She developed the Banking dept. within the New Bedford Public Schools and opened school restaurants run by the special needs students.

She was the first woman President of the Massachusetts Directors of Occupational Education and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Mass., Boston, where she created and taught certification for other educators.

She enjoyed gardening, painting watercolors and oils of natural landscapes, and all aspects of home decorating. She was a birder and lover of all God’s creatures. She traveled extensively with her husband throughout Europe and Mexico.

Clara is survived by her husband, Dr. James D. Crosson, her sons, James D. Crosson and his wife, Jacquelin of Portsmouth, RI and David J. Crosson and his wife, Terri of Lake Elmore, Vt. She was the sister of the late Frank Golen. She is the grandmother of Alexander Crosson, Elizabeth Crosson and James M. Crosson and his fiancé, Samie Toun and great-grandmother of James L. Crosson. Clara’s kindness, patience, creativity and enthusiasm will be greatly missed by her family.

Her funeral will be held on Fri., Feb. 26, 2016 at 9:00 AM from the Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Dartmouth, 230 Russells Mills Rd., Dartmouth, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary’s Church, 783 Dartmouth St., Dartmouth at 10:00 AM. Visiting Hours Thursday from 4:00-8:00 PM. Burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Bedford. Donations in memory of Clara may be made to Dartmouth Council on Aging, 628 Dartmouth St., So. Dartmouth, MA 02748 or Habitat for Cats, 1322 Ashley Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02745. Visit www.waring-sullivan.com for on-line tribute and directions.