Eternal rest grant unto her O' Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Isabell Marshall Dugan LaCrosse was born in New York City in 1933. She lived 93 full years, and passed away peacefully in her beloved home in Granville, Massachusetts on October 2, 2026. Her life was one of deep engagement - in her family, friends, and the simple and grand beauties of nature and the arts. She was at peace, surrounded by her loving family.
Isabell was the daughter of William Edward Dugan and Virginia Marshall Dugan, and the older sister to Ellen Daut and Martha Erskine. She attended Scarsdale High School, and graduated from Wellesley College in 1955 with a bachelor's degree in science. She deeply valued the friendships she formed at Wellesley and the college's role in nurturing independent, accomplished women. During her senior year, she and her friends traveled abroad to Europe. That "grand tour" set the stage for a lifelong love of museums, languages and foreign cultures.
In her senior year, Isabell went on a blind date with US Navy Lieutenant John (Jake) LaCrosse. The moment he saw her he knew he was looking at the woman whom he wanted to spend his life with. They married, had five children and nine homes together in the United States and in Esher, England, finally settling in Granville.
While Jake worked as an executive with Exxon and Fluor, Isabell raised their children, and cared for an ever-present cast of cherished pets. At the same time, she continued her medical studies, graduating at the top of her class with a nursing degree. She often recalled witnessing with awe the miracle of one of the earliest heart transplant surgeries in Houston, Texas.
Later, Isabell used her medical knowledge to fulfill her lifelong dream of raising beautiful Morgan horses. Recognized as a top New England breeder of champion show horses, she raised over 35 foals, the last of whom lives today at the family home. While the championship ribbons and awards crowding the walls in the home honor her achievements, she equally enjoyed cheering the successes of her many friends in the Morgan horse world.
Strong friendships marked Isabell's life. Her laughter was infectious, and she took great delight in small pleasures - fresh raspberries, scenic drives, her rug-hooking club, her flower gardens and animals of any kind. She was devoted to her Granville community, a founding member of the town's Cultural Council, a longtime member of the Library Club and a volunteer with a local therapeutic riding program.
Isabell treasured the arts in every form. She remembered her father taking her to Toscanini's final concert at Carnegie Hall in 1954. She was an avid reader of literature and history, and she had an artist's eye for color. She turned her hand to sculpture, landscape paintings, rug hooking, quilting and sewing and in her later years she began creating intricate textile landscapes and scenes.
Isabell was so proud of her children, her grandchildren and her nieces and nephews who kept her up to date, provided her with new perspectives and entertained her with the antics of her great grandchildren. A Vermonter at heart, she never tired of sharing family stories and her own girlhood experiences of summers in Vermont spent with her sisters Ellen and Martha, and her dearest cousin Julie, whom she always considered her "summer sister". She cherished their memories of sharing raspberries, sleeping on the summer porch and counting fireflies.
Isabell is preceded in death by her husband John, her son Matthew, sister Martha and her grandson Patrick. She is survived by her dear sister Ellen, her cousin Julie, her four children John (Norma), Julie, Martha (Jim), Peter (Heather) LaCrosse, and Matthew's partner Natasha; her four grandchildren Isabell, John, Mary, Stephen; her six great grandchildren; and a close circle of friends who miss her very much. The family is grateful for the dear friends who filled her life with joy and companionship, and especially thanks John Stevenson and his family for their friendship and support of Isabell.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, October 24th at 10:00 at Our Lady of the Lake Church on Sheep Pasture Road, Southwick, MA. A reception will follow at 12:30 at West Granville Congregational Church Academy. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Isabell's name to: West Granville Congregational Church or Doctors Without Borders, two organizations dear to her heart.