Resident of Palo Alto

Patricia “Pat” Ford Crass, a longtime resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, passed away peacefully at the age of 101 in her apartment at the Vi in Palo Alto, California on October 29, 2024.

Born onMay 17, 1923, in San Francisco, Pat was the second of three siblings. Her father, Byington Ford, was a prominent real estate developer in Pebble Beach, while her mother, Marion Boisot, lived on the family’s “Moon Trail Ranch,” a 400-acre property in Carmel Valley that is now part of the Garland Ranch Regional Park.

Pat attended the Douglas School (now Stevenson School) in Pebble Beach, and the Sarah Dix Hamlin School for Girls in San Francisco before graduating from the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, where she specialized in commercial art.

Throughout her life, Pat followed her passion for art, focusing on watercolor portraiture and California landscapes.

She enjoyed playing tennis, gardening, and spending time with her family. Pat was an avid reader, enjoyed puzzles, games, and sports, and was a skilled bridge player for many years.

On February 17, 1951, Pat married Alexander D. Henderson, who she met at Carmel’s Mission Ranch. Together, they had five children. After her first marriage ended in 1968, she married Richard R. Crass in 1970. Together they lived in Atherton, where they were members of the Holbrook Palmer Park, and Carmel, where Pat purchased her dream home on Scenic Road. Pat’s family continues to enjoy her home in Carmel.

In 2011, Pat moved to an independent living apartment at the Vi in Palo Alto, where she made new friends, played bridge, and exhibited her artwork in their annual art exhibits.

Pat is survived by her five children—Dawson, Greg, David, Scott, and Holly Fouladi—along with her ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The family extends sincere gratitude to her caregivers, especially Yasmin, who supported Pat in her final years. A private memorial will be held in Carmel later in the year.