Eloise M. "Jill" Crane

Jill was born to the late John Henry Miller, Jr. and the late Eloise Vaiden Miller on June 6, 1934 in Washington, DC. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and received an associate degree from Southern Seminary College in Buena Vista, VA. Jill married John Willoughby Crane, Jr. in 1955. Jill and John traveled the country and the world as he pursued his career as a US Naval Officer and Jill settled in as a Mother and (as she always said) “a Navy Wife.”

Jill, known as Mom to most, had ten children in the space of 18 years. Often alone as John was stationed in distance locations with the Navy, Jill taught herself whatever skill she needed to be able to maintain her growing family. She was passionate about her children and their education, her church and charitable works, her knitting, sewing and handicrafts and her gardening. A true renaissance woman, Jill refinished furniture, knitted amazing sweaters and hats, built dollhouse furniture, and sewed clothes for children complete with beautiful English hand smocking. She planted flower and azalea gardens wherever she lived. She was proud that she took care of her own house and yard, always washed her own car and made clothes for her own children whenever she could. She denied herself all but the basic necessities to be able to maintain her growing family.

Wherever she lived Jill was active in her local community and church. She often said, as her children grew, that she “lived her life in the car” transporting ten children to school, educational events, clubs and sporting activities. As longtime member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Montgomery, AL, Jill was always ready to lend a hand either helping with a sick parishioner or working diligently over the years to provide beautiful handmade smocked dresses for the church bizarre. Jill was a weekly volunteer for Montgomery area Meals on Wheels and active in the Montgomery Council on Aging. She also volunteered with the Dorcas Society in Montgomery, AL making walker caddies, neck pillows and knitted hats for the Montgomery Cancer Center and the area elderly and making hats and gowns for babies baptized at St. Bede’s Catholic Church.

After a recent move to Stone Mountain, Ga., Jill began knitting baby hats for the nursery at Dekalb Hospital. She knitted 191 baby hats in the span of 8 months. Her children knew her as a true “knitting machine.”

As her children grew up and settled around the world – Jill had many opportunities to travel to various states, Europe and Asia. She loved to live vicariously through the accomplishments of all of her children. They are a living testament to this humble, thoughtful, talented and loving woman.

Jill was a fantastic woman, a wonderful Mother and Grandmother and a fiercely loyal friend. She is survived by nine of her ten children – Eloise C. Stammerjohn; John W. Crane III; Mary Page Smith (husband Eric Smith); Peter P. Crane (wife Lorinda Crane); Kimberly A. Mallonn (husband Penn Mallonn); Christoper W. Crane; Timothy W. Crane (wife Nicole Crane); Martha C. Stunell (husband Collin Stunell) and William H. Crane (spouse John Augustine). Six grandchildren – Ethan Crane, Brooke Smith, Bryce Smith, Vaiden Mallonn, Emma Crane and Conor Mallonn. Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, also survive her. Jill’s eldest daughter, Cathryn Elizabeth Crane, preceded her in death.

Jill was greatly loved by all who knew her. She was greatly deserving of that love and she will be immeasurably missed.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Friday, August 15, 2014 at Park Springs Retirement Community in Stone Mountain, GA. A second memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, August 16, 2014 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Montgomery AL In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Park Springs Foundation or the Montgomery Area Council on Aging - Meals on Wheels.

The family would like to thank the caring individuals of Crossroads Hospice, First Light Home Care, and the nurses and staff at Cobblestone at Park Springs.