CRASHELL, ELEANOR “ELLIE” MARIE

Our beloved mom, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister Eleanor Crashell passed away at the age of 95 on April 14, 2021 with her family by her side at BeeHive Homes of Arrowhead Assisted Living in Glendale, Arizona where she resided since 2019.

Ellie was born to John and Martha (Barlet) Maurer on September 22, 1925 in Buffalo, New York. She attended St. Boniface elementary school and in June 1943 graduated from Fosdick Masten Park High School with a secretarial diploma. She played bugle and drums for Franz’s Funeral Home Bugle and Drum Corp and marched in many parades. Ellie worked as a typist at Spencer Lens where she met the love of her life, Sam Cracchiola (later changed to Crashell). They were married July 3, 1948, and together created a loving and nurturing home for their six children until his untimely passing in 1964.

Caring for others became Ellie’s life work. After Sam’s passing, she raised her six children, provided in-home care for disabled neighbors and also her mother in her final years. She was active in local political and social causes and was one of the first to volunteer to picket city hall for a cause she felt strongly about. Ellie also found time for her favorite activities – bowling, bingo, the Buffalo Bills, and the beach. She loved games of all kinds-board games and cards, but her favorite was Bingo and she volunteered at the St. Mark’s parish weekly bingo game. Ellie appreciated live theater, particularly musicals, and attended her favorite, Les Misérables, at least 10 times. She also loved adventure and celebrated the Bi-Centennial in Washington DC, traveled to the Super Bowl to cheer on her favorite team, experienced a Caribbean cruise, white water rafting on the Colorado River, snorkeling in Hawaii, many Southwest road trips and achieved a life-long dream of a European vacation.

In 1998 Ellie relocated to Phoenix and her love of Bingo found her at the Paradise Valley Senior Center and Deer Valley Senior Center Monday through Friday. She was a bingo volunteer for many years at both centers where she made many new friends and was a three-time $1,000 jackpot winner.

Ellie is predeceased by her parents John and Martha Maurer, and by her husband, Samuel Crashell. She is survived by her six children: Jeanne (Leo) Hagerty of Glendale, Arizona, Michael (Arlene) Crashell of Orchard Park, New York, Mark (Sarah) Crashell of Sun City, Arizona, Paul Crashell of Mesa, Arizona, Elizabeth (Dennis) Pawelski of Phoenix, Arizona, John (Diana Maurer) Crashell of Burnsville, Minnesota, and her brother John Maurer (Suzzanne Slojkowski) of The Villages, Florida. She had many wonderful life-long friends and family members and was also blessed with eight grandchildren: Beth (Wes) Westerman, David Crashell, Lauren (Joseph) Rozmus, Brandin Crashell, Eric Pawelski, Anthony (Kristen Murata) Pawelski, Nicole Crashell, and Sam Crashell. Also four great-grandchildren: Madison and Wyatt Westerman and Sam and Bennett Crashell. In January 2020 Ellie became a great-great grandma to Chandler.

The family is especially grateful to the staff at BeeHive Homes of Arrowhead Assisted Living for providing a wonderful home for Ellie where she was able to enjoy many of her favorite pastimes. They provided the rest of us the comfort of knowing she was safe and cared for around the clock especially during this past difficult year. We were so fortunate to continue visiting with her outside with social distancing and masks. We are also grateful to the exceptional care provided to Ellie and her family by Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care during her final days.

There will be a memorial service on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E Indian School Road, Phoenix. For those unable to attend in person the service will be live streamed at https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyMurphyFH/live/

Ellie’s request was to be cremated and her remains will be laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Kenmore, New York at a future date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ellie’s memory to Seasons Hospice Foundation, https://seasonsfoundation.org/donate/.