Edward J Cronin

Edward Cronin, Sr. 78, of Berkeley Heights, passed away unexpectedly on February 3, 2026.

Born in Summit, NJ to the late Helen (Hummer) and William Cronin, Sr., Ed was raised in Millburn and resided in Berkeley Heights for the last 50 years. He was a member of the FMBA as a Millburn firefighter for 30 years until his retirement in 2002.

More recently, he worked as a school crossing guard for the township of Berkeley Heights. He enjoyed his daily tea and crossword puzzles, listening to music, golfing, watching the Yankees and Giants, but most especially enjoyed the time he spent with his family; dinners with his wife and friends, trips to Atlantic City, Saratoga, and Mohegan Sun, summers at the Jersey Shore, attending his grandchildren’s sporting events and plays, driving up and down 95 to Rhode Island for family events, and being helpful in any way he could. A loving and wonderful man known affectionately as “Poppy” to his grandchildren, Ed will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

Ed is survived by his wife of 53 years Toni (DeFrancesco), his daughter Carolyn Sanders and her husband David of Smithfield, Rhode Island, his son, Edward Cronin, Jr. and his wife Melissa of Park Ridge, NJ, his grandchildren Jessica and Samantha Sanders and Emily and Michael Cronin, his brother and sister-in-law James and Jackie Glackin of Millburn, his niece, Annie Vilarino and her husband Joe, Florham Park and their children, Jacob, Genna and Allie as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother William Cronin.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 1pm-4pm at Higgins and Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home, 582 Springfield Ave., Westfield, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fireman's Home, Butler, NJ, Tunnel to Towers or St Jude's Children's Hospital.