Russell B. Crown, more commonly known as “Rusty”, age 79, of the Great Road in Groton, VT, peacefully passed away at his home, in the presence of family members, on August 19, 2026, after fighting a courageous battle with cancer for over a year. In February 1971, he married the love of his life, Martha (Crocker) Crown, who predeceased him on February 23, 2021, a few days after they had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They were the proud parents of three children, all of whom survive: Shawn Crown of Groton, Kimberly Smith (Ronson) of Groton and Christy Dickey (William) of Ryegate, VT.

Born in Barre, VT on June 25th, 1947, he was the son of Wendell J. and Florence M. (Bailey) Crown, both of whom predeceased him.

Upon graduating from Groton High School in 1965, Rusty enlisted in the Vermont National Guard. After completing basic military training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, he was assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he trained as a special operator of various support vehicles for Army field artillery units. He was thereafter assigned for the remainder of his six-year enlistment at 197h Artillery Unit in Woodsville, NH, where he was honorably discharged.

While fulfilling his six-year National Guard commitment, and for almost twenty years, he worked as a carpenter, doing everything from minor repairs to building houses. A person with a great deal of talent, energy, and “the strength of a horse”, he also found time to assist his father who operated a dairy farm in North Ryegate, VT.

Rusty, deciding that farming was his occupational “calling”, leased and operated the “Katie Page” farm just down the road from his father's in Ryegate. He lived in a small trailer on that farm.

After a few years, he relocated to the “Gandin Farm” on the Groton/Peacham Road. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the milk barn, and it was necessary for him to split up his cow herd for a short period of time to other locations, including his father’s farm, which was then being operated by his brother Stanley.

Shortly after the Gandin Farm fire, he purchased a dairy farm on the Great Road which had been owned by his uncle Edward Bailey. He continued dairy farming at this location for roughly the next 45 plus years. At its peak, he was milking 85 plus cows.

In 2024, he made the decision to retire from the milking trade and sold his herd. He did, however, continue to harvest and market hay he reaped from his farm as well as hay from several other large pieces of land that he leased for this purpose.

Of interest, while working on the farms together, Martha, helping to raise and take care of the cows, she took it upon herself to also raise pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs, and an abundant number of cats. Although these added responsibilities added to Rusty’s chores, he tolerated the extra duties with love and a smile.

In their spare time, Rusty and Martha enjoyed traveling with relatives and friends to various locations throughout the country. As an avid hunter and fisherman, one of his most memorable trips was a ten-day trip to Alaska where he went salmon fishing and observed a variety of wildlife.

Rusty was very well known and respected throughout the community. It was not an unusual occurrence for him to be at a restaurant or store and ask the waiter or attendant their name and for him to respond that he either knew that person’s relative or even discovering that he was a distant relative of that person.

In addition to his son and two daughters, five grandchildren survive him: Dylan Smith (and his wife Madysen), Kahlen Smith, J.J. Dickey, William Dickey, Jr. and Russell Dickey.

Besides his wife, father and mother, he was predeceased by his brothers Stanley W. Crown and Leon Crown, and sister Nanetta W. Dowling.

The family would like to thank Caledonia Home Health & Hospice for their professional and personal care and also to Donna Robinson, a friend and neighbor, who provided assistance in times of need.

A graveside burial service will be at the Groton Cemetery on Route 302 in Groton, VT on Friday, August 28th, 2026, at 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Cancer Center would be welcomed and can be mailed to Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756.