Milestones
A. B. Bliss McCrum, Trustee, 1964-1970
On June 6th, 2018, the world lost a remarkable man, Arlington Bliss McCrum, Jr.
Bliss was born on June 2, 1932 to Arlington Bliss McCrum, Sr. and Madeline Broderick McCrum in Charleston, West Virginia. He died peacefully at home in Livingston after a long, courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease, surrounded by his loving family.
He graduated from Culver Academy in 1950 and from Princeton University in 1954, where he majored in History and had the pleasure of rowing crew, ultimately in the Henley Regatta in England. He was President of Cottage Club and later President of his Class. Following college, he married Jean Palmer of Cleveland, Ohio and Blue Hill, Maine. He served our country as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in peacekeeping in Germany. Upon his return he obtained an MBA from the Wharton School in 1958. He began his career in finance working at the firm of Dominick and Dominick, from which he moved on to be a founding partner of Euclid Partners, a venture capital firm in New York City. He was a member of the Princeton Club and the Lynx Club there.
On the home front, he moved to Connecticut where he and Jean raised six children, until divorcing in 1979. He then met and married, in 1981, cardiologist Dr. Marcia B. Bull who brought three more children to the family. They resided in New Canaan, Connecticut where he was instrumental in founding the highly successful Horizons program, fostering middle and high school education of underprivileged children from nearby communities. He served on the board of directors at Horizons for several years.
Also in New Canaan, he helped found and was on the board of the New Canaan Inn, a residence for senior citizens. In addition, he participated in fundraising for other local nonprofit organizations. His motto was “learn, earn, and return.” He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Country Club of New Canaan, the Verbank Hunting Club, and the Saugatuck Shores Club. He served on the board of New Canaan Country School from 1964 to 1970, and established the McCrum Fund, to help other nonprofits.
In 2004 after retiring, Bliss and Marcia moved to live full time in Livingston, Montana, raising alfalfa on their small ranch (“Mac Ranch”). He continued his philanthropic support of local organizations, such as the Food Resource Center, the Park County Community Foundation, the building of the Livingston Health Care Center, the Shane Center and educational programs for the Livingston school system, among others. He and Marcia had taken family vacations in Montana and Wyoming, following their love of nature and Bliss’ passions of fly fishing and upland game bird hunting, interests he pursued until Parkinson’s disease made it impossible for him to do so. Even then he enjoyed working in the field with his two English Setters Bea and Pearl.
He loved meeting and interacting with people and many will remember his warm smile, easy humor, and twinkling blue eyes even when confined to a wheelchair. He loved his family dearly, and derived great pleasure from country music, which he played and ultimately “plinked” on his guitar and banjo. He epitomized grit, courage and determination in fighting his illness and, remarkably, never complained.
When asked how he was feeling, his usual reply was, “never better.” His zest for life was indomitable.
He was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Sarah McCrum Porter and her husband Richard Porter.
He is survived by his loving wife, Marcia; daughters, Hanna McCrum Henderson ’71 (Kris), Lindsay McCrum ’72, Elizabeth McCrum ’75, and Kate McCrum ’78; sons, Arlington B. McCrum Ill ’77 (Barbara) and William McCrum ’81; step-children, Kenneth Bull, Laura Bull Bailey (Michael), and Bradford Bull ’82 (Reba); 15 grandchildren and two nephews, Ned (Karon)and John Porter.
Memorial celebrations of his life are being planned for the fall in Livingston and Connecticut.
In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to contribute to the above-mentioned programs, the LHC Hospice Program, or a charity of their choice.
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
