Mary Ellen Cram

Mary Ellen Nielsen Cram passed from her earthly home on September 16, 2012 at 82 years of age.

Mary was born in Detroit, Michigan to John and Helen Nielsen. Mary grew up in Brown City,

Michigan graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Nursing, lived in Texas,

California and Germany before moving to her home in Albion where she lived on Irwin Avenue

for over 40years before retiring to Duck Lake. Mary was a courageous woman, full of life, who lived

with increasing disability from multiple sclerosis for over 20 y ears with grace and wisdom. She

was intelligent, resourceful, kind, hospitable and brave.

Mary loved and served the Albion Community holding positions of leadership on many local boards

including the Albion Community Foundation and the United Way. She volunteered with the

Albion Ambassadors and the Hospital Service League and was a member of Entre Nous and

P.E.O. She was a loving wife, a den mother, a Brownie leader and a Sunday School teacher

at Salem Church.

Mary’s impact on Albion included the renovation, with her husband, of an 1870 farmhouse on

Irwin Avenue. She assisted in the construction of two medical office buildings and a housing

subdivision near St. John’s. She led the preservation and restoration efforts of Albion’s

Historical train depot and for her work she was nominated for the Michigan Volunteer of

the Year Award and received the George Award in 1986. Mary spearheaded the construction

of the addition to the District Library and the relocation of Homestead Savings to its current

home on Superior Street. The Albion Chamber of Commerce established an annual Mary Cram

Leadership Award to honor her contributions to Albion. Mary was also instrumental in starting the

annual Luminary display of lights on Irwin Avenue on Christmas Eve along with other

displays of civic pride in Albion.

She had a broad range of interests including architecture, gardening, sewing, interior decorating,

real estate, reading, politics and stock investments. Mary was a founding member of the

all-women’s Great Expectations Investment Club. She was well traveled and was her

husband’s first nurse when he began his medical practice. She was inquisitive and funny,

a farmer’s daughter, a Bay City Beauty Queen, a “forward” thinker, and a friend to many.

Her favorite color was yellow.

Surviving family members include: husband Ralph of 59 years, daughters Virginia Cram-Martos

(Walter) of Divonne-les-Bains, France; Katherine Reeves (Tom) of Albion; son Ralph Cram

(Carolyn) of Northbrook, IL; sister-in-law Elfrieda Nielsen of Croswell and grandchildren Margaux

Dever (Jason), Kelley, Stephen, Shawn and John Reeves, Alexandra and Walter Cram-Martos,

John and Rachel Cram.

Visitation will be held at J. Kevin Tidd Funeral Home, 811 Finley Drive, Albion, Michigan 49224 on

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 from 4:00-7:00 P.M. A Memorial Service will be held at

St. John Catholic Church, 1020 Irwin Avenue, Albion on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 5:30 P.M. with Dr. Lorraine Grinnell officiating.

Assistance with Memorial Contributions to: Salem United Church of Christ, Albion Community Foundation or Albion District Library is available at the Funeral Home