Edward Miller “Ted” Crowley was born in Waltham, MA on April 26, 1938 to Edward F. and Vivian A. Crowley, their third child and only son. He was imbued early and often with a passion for the Catholic Church and hockey. USMA hockey coach Jack Riley prowled the high school rinks of eastern Massachusetts and found a winner playing center in Belmont. Ted, “the Belmont Flash,” entered West Point in 1956 and graduated in 1960. He set the single season Army record for goals, assists and points, as well as the career record for total points. Needless to say, he was the team captain as well. He was no slouch on the diamond either, lettering three years as he played catcher and alternated with Bob Anderson in right field. He met Christine Mazzochi in the sixth grade in Belmont, and they married after he graduated in June 1960. They had three children together as they moved from post to post: Cheryl, John and Edward (Eddie).
Ted served 14 years on active duty. As a junior officer, he completed assignments as a platoon leader, company commander and division staff officer and served overseas tours in both Vietnam and Korea. He was an admissions officer at West Point and chief, Budget Division, for the Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA. He was a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College, and he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters (one for valor), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Army Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Army Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1963 device, Combat Infantryman Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge and Ranger Tab.
In 1974, after 15 moves in 14 years, he left active duty and started dual careers as a financial consultant with Connecticut General/CIGNA and the Army Reserves while settling down in Toms River, NJ. After an amicable divorce in 1982 from Christine, he met and, in 1986, married Joan, a Long Island native who was a successful attorney in Toms River, and acquired a stepson, Jordan Bettio. Ted and Joan were married in a beautiful ceremony at West Point and were happily married for 23 years.
He retired from the reserves in 1994 as a major general, with his last assignment as CG of the 78th (NJ Lightning) Division. He was active in his community with various social, professional and military organizations, including the Toms River Sunrise Rotary Club (past president), the St. Josephs Parish Century Club (director), the Association of Military Graduates, the West Point Society of NY & NJ, the USMA Doubleday Society (director), the American Society of CLU & ChFC, the National Association of Life Underwriters, the Senior Army Reserve Commanders Association, (past executive committee), member of the Association of the U.S. Army, the Reserve Officers Association, the NJ Commanders of the Military Order of Foreign Wars (past commander), past president of the West Point Society of NJ, former U.S. Army Reserve Ambassador and member of the NJ Committee for Employer Support of Guard & Reserve.
Ted’s children and their spouses are Cheryl and Thomas Moore, Rollinsford, NH; John and Anita Crowley, Barnegat, NJ; and Edward and Denise Crowley, Toms River. Ted personally commissioned his four children as second lieutenants. His daughter, Cheryl, attended Georgetown Medical School on an Army scholarship and spent seven years on active duty as a physician. John commissioned after graduating college and branched Infantry, deploying to the Persian Gulf War as an active duty captain (S-3). He subsequently left the Army and began to work with Ted in his financial consulting work at Cigna. Eddie attended Norwich University and commissioned as a Reserve officer prior to becoming both a New York and New Jersey state trooper. Joan and Ted were extremely proud of Jordan, who was a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (2000, C130 pilot), and Ted also commissioned Jordan at his graduation.
In addition, Ted’s great-nephew Billy Long attended West Point (Class of 2009, Aviation), and his grandson Thomas Edward Moore (Teddy) attended West Point (Class of 2012, Infantry). His granddaughters, Lindsey and Abby Moore, both attended college on ROTC scholarships and both graduated as Distinguished Military Graduates from the University of Vermont and Wake Forest University, respectively. Lindsey went on to serve on active duty as a Military Police Officer. Lastly Ted’s great-nephew Evan Wise graduated from Norwich University in 2016 and, after being commissioned by Ted’s daughter, Cheryl, branched Ordnance. Evan’s brother, Logan Wise, enlisted in the Navy. Clearly, Ted made an impression on his family regarding his allegiance to West Point, the U.S. Army and the United States.
Ted died suddenly and unexpectedly in Hopatcong, NJ on November 15, 2015. He was predeceased by his stepson, Jordan; his ex-wife, Christine; and his sister Barbara Long. He is survived by Joan Crowley, his sister Phyllis, his three children, seven grandchildren (Laura Crowley, Teddy and wife Tori Moore, Lindsey Moore, Ryan Crowley, Abigail Moore, and Jack and Grace Crowley), two great-grandchildren (Harper and Hudson Moore), and many nieces and nephews. Appropriately, he is interred at his beloved West Point after having accomplished enough for three lifetimes. Well Done, Ted; Be Thou at Peace.
— Cheryl Crowley Moore, M.D., and Frank Cloutier