SHARE

Funeral Services Set For Drowning Victim, 17, Fairfield Ludlowe Student

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Funeral services have been scheduled for Nagee S. Crowder, the17-year-old senior at Fairfield Ludlowe High School who drowned earlier this month. 

Nagee Crowder

Nagee Crowder

Photo Credit: Contributed

Nagee died Saturday, Sept. 16, after being pulled from the water of Perry Hill Pond in Fairfield. Several juveniles were swimming in the pond that day, and Nagee jumped into the water from a paddleboard at about 6 p.m., police said. 

When his friends saw he was in distress, they made unsuccessful attempts to help him, police said. About an hour later, his body was pulled from about 15 feet of water by police and fire department divers.

Nagee had been an area resident for more than two years. He had attended Central High School in Bridgeport and most recently was in his senior year at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. 

He loved basketball and was a big fan of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. His favorite motto was: "The Ball is Life!" He always looked forward to watching basketball games on the weekends with his beloved grandmother. 

Related story: Fairfield Teen Drowning Victim Identified; GoFundMe Started For Family

Born in Battle Creek, Mich.,  Nagee was the son of Fiona Melvin and Anondaz Crowder. "He was deeply loyal to his family and loved spending time with them," his obituary said. 

Nagee also loved reading and could often be found in various libraries, including the Bridgeport Public Library, Fairfield Woods Library and the library at school. 

"Nagee was kind, sweet and affectionate; always willing to help others. He was a selfless young man who always placed the needs of others before himself, and was admired by his teachers and fellow students," his obituary said. 

A GoFundMe page has been created to support Nagee's family by Fairfield Woods Middle School teacher Molly McHugh, who knows his three siblings who attended that school.

“I have worked closely with the family in the past as they have had many hardships fall upon them,” McHugh wrote on the page. “They are a fairly new family to the community and they do not have the support needed to get through such a tragedy. While the emotional strain of losing a child/sibling is something no family wants to even imagine having to handle, for this family, the financial strain is also weighing heavy on them."

The page had raised over $31,000 of a $25,000 goal by Monday morning.

"Words couldn't express my gratitude to all those that have opened their hearts to my son and my family on behalf of I and my children," Fiona Melvin said on the GoFundMe page

In addition to his parents, he is survived by three siblings, Kelis, Branden and Destiny Richardson of Fairfield; his maternal grandmother, Robin Givens of New Haven; maternal grandfather, Michael Givens of Albion, Mich.; paternal grandmother, Patricia Crowder; and aunt Brenda Crowder, his half-brothers and half-sisters, Anonda and Omagee Crowder, and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins. 

Friends may call Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 S. Benson Road, Fairfield. 

Friends may also call Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral at 10 a.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 401 Newfield Ave., Bridgeport. 

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

Interment will be in Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Nagee's memory may be made to The Fairfield Woods Branch Library, 1147 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield, CT 06825. 

For information or to offer an online condolence, visit www.SpearMillerFuneralHome.com.

to follow Daily Voice Ridgefield and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE