Eldreda C. Crum

Eldreda C. (Couch) (Christiansen) Crum, 79, of Burlington, formerly Farmington, passed away peacefully at home on Friday August 10th. Known affectionately as Dreda, she was born October 19, 1938 in Waterbury, daughter of the late Eldred and Helmi (Boatman) Couch of Plainville. Dreda was predeceased by her brother Alan Couch; sister Susan (Couch) Schiavo; her first husband Donald W. Christiansen and her second husband Gerald Crum.

Dreda was raised in Plainville and graduated from Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts receiving a degree in Journalism. She married and moved to Maryland where she raised her family before moving back to Connecticut and residing first in Danbury, and then in Farmington.

Dreda enjoyed many simple pleasures in her retirement life including reading, birdwatching, and spending time with her family. She had a close group of devoted friends and enjoyed her annual visit to Lake Waramaug with them. When Dreda returned to Connecticut from Maryland, she worked in Danbury as a personnel consultant in the professional recruiting and job-placement industry. She then spent fifteen very happy years working at French Cleaners where she enjoyed meeting so many nice customers providing her with enormous satisfaction in her work life.

Dreda is survived by her son Jeffery T. Christiansen of North Andover, MA and his children Caleb and Muriel; her daughter Lisa M. Christiansen and her husband Dave of Burlington with whom she lived these last two years; her daughter Cara (Christiansen) Andreoli and her husband Ernest L. Andreoli Jr. of Glastonbury as well as her three loving grandchildren, Ernest III, Christian and Justin Andreoli of Glastonbury.  She also leaves her sister Sara (Couch) LoVerde of Asheville, NC; nephew Michael Schiavo of North Adams, MA; brother-in-law Dominic Schiavo of Marco Island, FL, and her brother and sister-in-law Paul and Sandy Christiansen of East Sandwich, MA.  Dreda also enjoyed being with her grandchildren’s paternal grandfather Ernest L. Andreoli Sr. of Wethersfield, celebrating family functions and holidays over the last 24 years. 

The family wishes to thank all of the doctors and health professionals at the UCONN Health Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center who cared for her over the last two years. Services will be private. If you choose, please make a donation to a charity of your choice in her memory. 

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