(Photo of Jim from Rosalind’s 100th Anniversary Celebration Oct. 4, 2014)

(New Brighton, Pa.) A man known to many as simply “The Candyman” has passed away.

71-year-old Jim Crudden the long time owner of Rosalind Candy Castle in New Brighton passed away unexpectedly while surrounded by his family on Good Friday.  The announcement was made in a Facebook post on Rosalind Candy Castle’s page on Friday Evening.

The post stated that our Father was and amazing person. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He will be missed by all that knew him. We will all miss his humor, laughter, generosity, leadership and kindness. Jim had a passion for giving to the community. We encourage donating time or money to local groups and organizations in his honor. He loved to help others. We love you dad and you will be missed so much. Till we meet again.

Born August 16, 1949 in Rochester, Jim was a 1967 graduate of New Brighton High School and attended Robert Morris University, graduating in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. Upon graduation, Jim worked at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Beaver as a Production Coordinator and was promoted to Buyer in the Purchasing Department. In 1979 he left Westinghouse to join the family business at Rosalind Candy Castle in New Brighton. He learned the craft of making chocolates from his father, John Crudden and his uncle, Med Zaluska. Jim was the retired President of Rosalind Candy Castle.

 

Jim will be sadly missed and he did so much for his family and community. He was a kind and giving man that would help anyone he could, so as you are having that piece of Rosalind’s Chocolate that you just got in your Easter Basket say a pray for Jim and the entire Crudden family in their time of need.

Jim’s viewing is tomorrow from 2-4 & 6-8 in the J&J Spratt Funeral Home in New Brighton,
He will be buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, New Brighton.