Arnold, CA…Marcella P. Crawford, 78, died on June 11, 2018, in Placerville after living fully and courageously with Stage 4 breast cancer for nearly six years. Marcy and her late husband, Joe, had been long-time Arnold residents. She recently moved to Placerville to be nearer family. Marcy was born on June 27, 1939, in Brooklyn, NY, to Vincent Moran, a truck driver for Nabisco cookie, and his wife, Ruth Lancieri, a homemaker. Her parents, and younger sister, Barbara, preceded her in death, as did her husband Joe who died in February 2014.

Marcy was an incredibly positive person, a character trait doctors said contributed to her living far beyond expectations after her diagnosis. Throughout her treatment, she maintained a level of optimism that gathered everyone in its wake and served as a beacon to others struggling with their own health and life challenges.

Marcy graduated from St. Saviour High School in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. That’s where she met her first husband, Jim Gallagher, who passed away April 11, 2018. She was just 17 when they married in 1957. They began a family and moved to the New Jersey suburbs before a job offer in 1971 took the family to Los Angeles.

Marcy re-entered the workforce while her kids were in school and returned to college, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands. She spent 25 years in academia, finishing her career as the Dean of Students at Whittier Law School.

After her 27-year marriage ended, she dated like a teenager. After all, she never really had the chance when she was young. But it was Joe Crawford, a friend who had been widowed, who stole her heart. They married in 1989 and a few years later built their dream house in Arnold. After splitting their time between the mountains and the city for more than 20 years, they moved to Arnold fulltime in 2007.

Throughout her life, Marcy was a beauty. But that beauty was more than skin deep. She was smart, kind, creative, caring, giving, loving and sincere. She also was a leader in her family and her community.

In 2013, Marcy was named Senior Woman of the Year by the Calaveras County Commission on Aging in recognition of her volunteer work with a number of local organizations. In honoring her with award, the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors noted, “Marcy has been known as a person who gives more than she receives, having done so unselfishly for many years.” In honor of that recognition, she was the Grand Marshall of the Arnold Fourth of July Parade that year.

The recipient of most of Marcy’s volunteer hours was Calaveras Big Trees Park where as a docent for more than 16 years she introduced school children and other visitors to the Discovery Stump to the park’s history. She served many years on the Board of the Calaveras Big Trees Association, two years as president.

Additionally, Marcy was an active member of the Independence Hall Quilters, serving as chair of the group’s Scholarship Committee for four years. She was a member of Forest Watch and the Arnold Angels, and was involved with the Greater Arnold Business Association. She also served two years on the Calaveras County Grand Jury.

Marcy could light up a room with her smile and personality. She was the belle of the ball and all of life was a party. Like everyone, she had her fair share of hard times. But she didn’t dwell on them. She did what needed to be done and moved on. “It is what it is,” she would say.

Marcy was close to her children, who miss her greatly. She is survived by Carol Kramer (Bob) of Sunland, CA, Jim Gallagher (Paula) of Benicia, Dan Gallagher (Dawn) of Camino, her stepson Tim Crawford (Rosel); her grandchildren Donny (Theresa), Jason (Carolyn), Sara, Tanya, and Tanner Gallagher, Christopher Kramer, and Alexandra and Maxine Crawford; and great grandchildren Muri and Lucas Gallagher. She also is survived by her brother Michael Moran of Essex, Vermont, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Plans for a Celebration of Life in Arnold are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Marcy’s honor to the Calaveras Big Trees Association, P.O. Box 1196, Arnold, CA, 95223 or www.bigtrees.org/donate .