Mary Ellen Crane

Mary Ellen Crane realized her Sunset Sept. 8, 2012, in Murrieta, Calif. Her Sunrise was Feb. 5, 1961, in Castro Valley, Calif., but she moved to Las Vegas when she was three years old. She is survived by the person she admires most in the world and her very best friend, Jeanne Brunsvold of Murrieta; her brother, Craig Falk of Las Vegas; and sisters, Kathy Fisher of Henderson, and Patty Rich (Tim) of Tulsa, Okla. Mary also leaves behind her uncle, John Adams (Saint Sue); many cousins, nieces, nephews, wonderful personal friends, professional colleagues; and her beloved Cocker Spaniels. Mary was preceded in death by her grandparents, Art Adams and Sophie McDonough; her dad, David Boyd Crane Jr.; the father she picked, Robert Melton Smith; her mother, Joyce Zimmerman; her aunt, Carolyn Jagger; and uncle, Rick Adams. Mary grew up in Las Vegas, graduated from Chaparral High School, attended UNLV for three years and Clark County Community College for two years. She started in the hotel business as a front desk clerk and was promoted many times in her long career as a hotelier in Las Vegas ending her 22 years at Fitzgeralds as vice president of hotel operations. While working in Las Vegas, she was selected as one of the "Distinguished Women in Southern Nevada" and was profiled in the 10th annual book bearing the same name. She received her CHA (Certified Hotel Administrator) designation, was a graduate of the Holiday Inn General Manager Program and Subway Franchisee/General Manager Program. In 2002, she was asked to help design, build and open Pala Casino Spa and Resort, where she worked for the last 10 years as senior vice president/assistant general manager. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas. In lieu of flowers, Mary requests donations to be sent to Hospice of the Valleys, Murrieta, or Ronald McDonald House, Las Vegas.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.