Gale F. Critchlow of Lawrenceville, NJ died peacefully on Sunday, April 22, 2018 at the age of 90.
Gale is survived by her sister, Claire Peisch of Chenango Forks, NY, and by her four children, Claire McCabe of Robbinsville, Louise Aucott of Pennington, Carol Critchlow of Lawrenceville, and Francis Critchlow of Healdsburg, CA, as well as her son in law, Michael Aucott, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Francis X. (Frank) Critchlow.
Gale was born on June 29, 1927 to Henry Collin Minton, JR. and Gale Dinsmore Minton of Longacres, Lawrenceville. She was a 1945 graduate of Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, and in 1949 graduated from Bryn Mawr College with an A.B. in Political Science. She married Frank the same year, and moved to Washington, DC where he completed studies at Georgetown University. Back in NJ, they settled in Harbourton to raise a family. After managing a retail gourmet shop, she was hired by NJ DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, and rose to become Chief of the Bureau of Shellfisheries until her retirement in 1989. She was known as an innovator, originating the clam and oyster relay programs and overseeing the development of the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory. She loved the natural world, the beach and the woods.
Gale was a beloved and active member of The Garden Club of Trenton for over 60 years. Floral arranging was an outlet for her artistic talent, and she was a volunteer and multiple entrant in the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show since 1990. Winner of many awards, she was also a Garden Club of America Judge Emeritus. She belonged to the NJ Chapter of the Colonial Dames. She was a long-time parishioner at St. Alphonsus RC Church in Hopewell, before moving to Lawrenceville in 2011 and joining the parish of St. Ann.
Gale will be remembered by family and friends at a Memorial Gathering on June 10, 2018 at 3:00 pm at the Community Clubhouse on Point Court adjacent to Bunker Hill Road in Lawrence Township. In lieu of flowers, donations in Gale’s name may be made to The Garden Club of Trenton, c/o 33 E. Welling Ave., Pennington, NJ 08534.
