Grandma Page's Funeral

Today we celebrated the life of my grandmother, Page Crafford Scott.  She passed away on November 19, 2015 but the funeral was today.  Everyone came into town but my brother and it was nice to see all of our cousins and their kids.  People really made a huge effort to come and it meant a lot!  Here is what was written in the program about Grandma Page's life.

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Page Crafford Scott was born in Lee Hall, VA on April 15, 1919 and died on November 19, 2015 at the Swinging Bridge Farm near Abingdon, VA, where she lived since her husband, Raymond, died in January, 2014.  Born Anna (Annie) Page Crafford, she was the third child of Dr. Mercer Waller and Mary Josephine (Fowler) Crafford.  Her father was a country doctor, serving families throughout the Williamsburg and Yorktown areas.

Page, a good student, graduated from high school at 16 and entered the college of William and Mary. She majored in Social work and graduated in 1939.

Page did social work in SE Virginia before and during the war, then moved to Richmond to assist wounded WWII soldiers returning to hospitals near their homes.  There on New Years Day 1946 she met Raymond Scott.  On June 25, they were married and moved to Ithaca, NY, where Ray completed his PhD at Cornell University.  While in Ithaca they had their first son, James.  Ray taught at Cornell and Page worked in the graduate office.  In 1949 they moved to Ohio State University in Columbus, OH where Jack was born.  In 1952, Ray accepted an offer to move to Washington, DC to work in the Department of Agriculture and the family moved to Arlington, VA.

While Raymond spent the next 30 years with the Extension Service, Page was busy raising her boys and starting what would be a lifetime interest in crafts.  She was active with the Extension wive, the Belleview Forest Garden Club and began exploring the art of ceramic - crafting hundreds of items and later teaching classes in ceramics.  Page also became an avid golfer with Raymond, preferring to walk with their clubs well into their 80s.  They became early members of the Westwood Country Club in Vienna, active in tournaments and other club events.  In addition, Page served on the board of Planned Parenthood.  Throughout her life, she was concerned for women's rights and family health.

In 1980, Ray retired from the USDA and took over the family farm outside Abingdon, VA.  They planted acres of Christmas trees and the farm became "The Swinging bridge Christmas Tree Farm".  Ray and Page were actively involved in the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association.  In 2008, they were named the VCTGA Members of the Year.  In Awarding the couple, the association president noted, "Through the years, whenever our board has needed a word of encouragement and optimism, Ray and Page have been there."

Page had a great memory for family and friends, seemingly able to connect everyone she met with someone in her circle of acquaintances.  Sadly, she lost this ability in the last few years of her life, a source of frustration for her.  Still, it came through every now and then.  Her sense of humor showed when they hosted a field trip of Christmas Tree growers.  Ray stepped out lively to lead the group through the trees.  At the back of the group Page heard on farmer grumble about the fast pace and finally he asked, "Why is a guy that old still planting trees?" Page retorted, "Well, you don't know Ray Scott, do you?"

During retirement, Page's interests in crafts grew.  She became an enthusiastic quilter, creating dozens of masterpieces that she gave to family and friends over the years.  She also perfected her skills in needlepoint and her framed creations and pillow covers adorn households and churches, including Church of the Covenant, in use to this day.  Page taught crafting at this church and helped to create the "Christmon" ornaments that have graced this church's decorations at Christmas time for many years.

In addition, Ray and Page were enthusiastic members of Wally Byam Caravan Club, traveling with their Airstream trailer throughout the US, Canada and Mexico on numerous caravans.  In winters, Page and Ray enjoyed riding bikes, playing golf and leading a lively "current events club" at Tropical Haven, their retirement community in Florida.

When Ray died in 2013, Page moved back to the family farm in Abingdon.  She has been cared for during the past two years by her granddaughter Cory Scott and her family.

She is survived by her two sons, James, married to Sue Scott of North Andover, MA and Jack, married to Ruth Scott of Scottdale, PA, her six grandchildren (peter Eash-Scott, Rebecca Cullinan, Deborah Scott, Laurie Scott, Cory Scott and Jeffrey Scott), eight great grand children and her brother Joseph Crafford of Williamsburg, VA.  She is preceded in death by siblings Waller, Ashton and Myrna Crafford.