David Edwin Crosby, 87
After a long and well-lived life, David Edwin Crosby passed away peacefully at his home in Orchid Island, Florida, on May 17, 2025, with his wife and children by his side. He battled Parkinson’s Disease for many years with fortitude and grace.
David was born on December 31, 1937, at Emerson Hospital in Acton to Edwin Forest and Margaret Sheehan Crosby. He grew up in Acton and spent his early adult life in New York City before settling in Sudbury to raise his children. He loved spending time in Sunapee, New Hampshire, and he happily retired with the love of his life, Barbara, to Orchid Island, Florida, in 2001.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Barbara D. Crosby, of Orchid Island and Sunapee; his son Scott G. Crosby and wife Katherine, along with their children William, Geoffrey, and Ellen of Lutherville, Maryland; and his daughter Susan C. Davis, her husband Jonathan, and their children Ryan and Paige of Hingham; as well as many beloved extended family members. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Jack, and Jack’s wife, Rosely Crosby, of Acton.
Professionally, David found his calling in sales. After several years of working for Petersen Publishing, he became the owner and president of David Crosby & Associates Inc., his advertising sales firm representing sporting magazines. He and Barbara worked side by side in the business, with Barbara serving as chairwoman of the board.
He was an active member of the sporting community, belonging to the Philadelphia Gun Club, the Minute Man Sportsman’s Club, the Laurel Brook Club, and Quail Creek, among many other shooting and fishing clubs. He won several awards in competitive skeet and sporting clay shooting, most notably the all-gauge at the 1969 Great Eastern Skeet Championships at the Lordship Gun Club in Stratford, Connecticut.
A devoted fly fisherman and conservationist, David treasured the time he spent on the Miramichi River in New Brunswick, Canada, the Beaverkill River in upstate New York, and the Green River in Utah, among others. On many of those occasions, he used flies he had tied himself, a hobby he relished. He loved traveling the world with friends and family, often combining sightseeing with sporting adventures. He was a casual golfer at the Weston Golf Club and the Orchid Island Golf Club as well.
Above all, David cherished time with his grandchildren, sharing stories, telling jokes, and passing down his knowledge of history, poker, hunting, and fly fishing. Family poker tournaments were epic, often ending in nail-biting showdowns. He loved taking his son Scott shooting and bird hunting and his daughter Sue fly fishing. Celebrating his New Year’s Eve birthday with family and close friends was an annual highlight, often joking that the fireworks were in his honor.
He will be remembered fondly as a witty and kind gentleman who was devoted to his family and many friends. He was truly a great man who will be missed by those who knew him.
In lieu of flowers and with gratitude, donations may be made to the VNA & Hospice Foundation, 920 37th Place #101, Vero Beach, FL, 32960 or online at foundation.vnatc.com.
A celebration of life will be held this summer in Massachusetts and this fall in Orchid Island, Florida. For further information, contact Susan Crosby Davis at (781) 534-5145 or [email protected].
