Ellen Douglas Bruce Crane Fisher

Short Biography

Birth: May 9, 1913Death: Apr. 27, 2008Ellen Douglas Bruce Crane, 94, formerly of Westover, Charles City County, Va., died April 27, 2008, at her home in Henrico County. She was the daughter of Richard and Ellen Douglas Bruce Crane; and granddaughter of Charles R. and Cornelia Workman Smith Crane and of Alexander and Mary Evelyn Anderson Bruce of Berry Hill, Halifax County, Va. She is survived by three children, Frederick Schilling and wife, Ingeborg "Muschi" Kulenkampff Fisher, who live at Westover, Ellen Douglas Bruce Fisher and husband, Gordon F. Tully, of Norwalk, Conn., and Josephine "Jolly" Crane Fisher and her husband, David de Give, of Belle Grove in Delaplane, Va.; four grandchildren, Andrea Kulenkampff Fisher and husband, Robert G. Erda, of Richmond, Frederick Peter Fisher of New York City, Ellen Douglas Bruce Tully and husband, Frank W. Rambo, of Washington, D.C., and David Robert Tully of Washington; and four great-grandchildren, Wills Frederick Erda, James Mclver Rambo, Cornelia Ann Erda and Henry Bruce Erda; and her devoted housekeeper and friend of over 50 years, Bruce Tyler. Bruce Fisher lived in Prague from April 1919 to December 1921 while her father was the American Minister to Czechoslovakia, and then moved to Westover, Charles City County in 1922. She attended Saint Catherine's School in Richmond, and graduated from Foxcroft School in Middleburg. She married Frederick S. Fisher Jr. of New York, and lived in the North until her husband joined the Army in World War II, at which time, she returned to Westover. She was divorced in the early 1950s, and remained at Westover. She ran Westover after the death of her mother until she retired in 1979. She gave an historic and open-space easement to the v*rginia Historic Landmarks Commission to protect Westover. She was a woman of strong faith, and was active in Westover Episcopal Church in its prayer group, an interdenominational group that extended into the community beyond Westover Church, and in youth organizations including Up With People and Sing Out South. She had a special ministry helping those who fell through the cracks in government programs. Rarely has anyone touched as many individual lives as she has. Funeral services was held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Westover Episcopal Church in Charles City. Interment following the service was at Westover. Family links: Parents: Richard Crane (1882 - 1938) Ellen Douglas Bruce Crane (1872 - 1952) Burial:Westover Plantation Charles CityCharles City Countyv*rginia, USA