Morell "Mo" Spencer Crane

Morell “Mo” Spencer Crane, died Saturday, January 8, 2022 at the age of 86. Mo is the son of the late Rene Murphy Crane Sr. and Inez Hagan Crane and brother of the late Rene Murphy Crane Jr. and sister of the late Inez Catherine Crane Prendergast. Mo was married to the late Patricia Ann Crane for 29 years and is survived by their daughter Kendall Crane Pearse and husband Dennis and by his four children from his first marriage to the late Carolyn Schwab McCabe, Morell Spencer Crane Jr. and wife Sharon, Carolyn “Carey” Crane Williams and husband Phil, John Rene Crane and wife Courtney, and David Schwab Crane. Mo loved and was very proud of his nine grandchildren Morell Spencer Crane III, Allie McCabe Crane, John “Jack” Churchill Crane, Carolyn “Cally” Bartlett Crane, Jourdan Nicholas Crane, Liam Barclay Crane, Danielle Ashlee Pearse, Caly Lyleana Pearse, Callan Dennis Pearse and a host of nieces and nephews. Mo is survived by his longtime companion Diane Benitez.

A native New Orleanian, he resided in Metairie for 50 years. Mo was a graduate of Castle Heights Military Academy. He attended Tulane University where he played football and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Mo served in the United States Army and the National Guard of Louisiana. Mo was the beloved proprietor of the world famous “Mo’s Chalet” for 30 years and he could often be found at the bar entertaining the thousands of patrons who counted him a friend, with a smile, a laugh and a song. Mo had a passion for hunting and was a member of the National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited. Mo’s other passion was music. He loved playing his guitar and singing and passed down both passions to his granddaughter Caly Pearse. Mo was a true believer in Christ our savior and a devout Catholic.

Mo was fervent about his support of Camp Challenge, an organization that sends children with cancer to camp for a week. Every year Mo organized “Mo’s Chalet Annual Golf Tournament” benefitting Camp Challenge. The family has respectfully requested, in lieu of flowers, a donation on behalf of Mo Crane to www.campchallenge.org or Camp Challenge P.O. Box 10591, New Orleans, LA 70181.

Funeral Mass and Visitation will be at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday January 22, 2022 with visitation beginning at 11am, Mass at 1pm with a Jazz Burial to follow in Metairie Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at Mo’s Chalet, 3201 Houma Blvd in Metairie, Louisiana on Sunday, January 30, 2022 at 2 pm.

To view and sign the family guestbook, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com