In Remembrance: Eilene Crawley Pierson ’50Dra Died on June 13 2014

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Eilene Crawley Pierson passed from this earthly life and joined Christ on June 13, 2014, embraced by the love and support of her family. Eilene was born on October 28, 1927, in Kane, Pennsylvania, to the proud parents of Norbert and Lucille Warner Crawley. Throughout her 86 years of life, Eilene lived in more than a dozen different residences, in six different regions in the United States, and traveled extensively, worldwide.  Passionate, charismatic, independent, loving, and intelligent just begin to capture Eilene’s inimitable approach to her rich life.

Throughout her childhood Eilene enjoyed an excellent education and was an avid book reader. Her parents, of whom she was so proud—her father, a restaurateur, and mother, a registered nurse and director of nursing—provided Eilene with an excellent, classical education in the sciences, humanities, and the arts. Eilene attended Villa Maria all-girls Catholic Academy in Erie, Pennsylvania; Villa Maria College (now Gannon University); Yale Drama School; and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Eilene held a bachelor of arts in art and master of arts in drama.

As an artist and intellectual, Eilene’s professional career spanned from working as a commercial artist, painting in oils, acting, teaching all grade levels in school, and working for decades as a college or university professor in Hawaii, North Carolina, and Florida. In her senior years, Eilene wrote her first novel, Love and Treachery, which was published when she was 85 (wonderfully reviewed and available on Amazon). Eilene’s myriad joys, accomplishments, and volunteerism ranged from avid churchgoer and vestry member to event organizer and public relations representative for the American Craft Museum in NYC.  Her passion for the stage remained ever present. She counted her time at Yale Drama School among her happiest days, and although she selected the route of wife, mother, and college professor, Eilene continued to act in community and regional theater throughout her adult life. Eilene appeared in multiple editions of Who’s Who of American Women, The World’s Who’s Who of Women, and Outstanding Educator of America, Personalities of the South, for dedication to education and service to community.

One of Eilene’s greatest passions was traveling, and she would seize every occasion to do so. Second to traveling was playing bridge. Happily, living in her favorite state, sunny Florida, enabled her to do both.  Eilene lived for the last 20 years in Palmetto, Florida, and participated in multiple bridge groups.

Anyone close to Eilene would know that Eilene’s greatest love was her four children:  Robert Blaise Pierson, Bradenton, Florida, and Columbus, Ohio; Maureen Louise Pierson, East Haddam, Connecticut; Sharon Gay Pierson, Allendale, New Jersey; and Deirdre Kathleen Pierson, Stamford, Connecticut; and her four grandchildren: Jana Kathleen Skarzynski, Dallas, Texas; Kara Louise Skarzynski, University of San Diego, California; Matthew Blaise Pierson Milano, Ithaca, New York; and Adam Bernard Pierson Milano, Middlebury College, Vermont. Eilene was an exceptional mother who raised her children to be independent—lovingly and faithfully supporting them in their pursuits. She was also survived by her sister, Bonnie, of Lenore, North Carolina.

Eilene was laid to rest in a Christian burial service, attended by her immediate family, at Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut, on June 17, 2014.  Her memorial service, a Christian service celebrating her blessed life, will be held in August.

—submitted by the family.