This grave is shared by Nancy Erdelyan and John Kane. As of May 17, 2015, there was no visible marker on the grave. In the area photo, the grave is located in the grassy space at the bottom center of the photo. Burial Date: August 11, 1967. [This original biography was written by Find A Grave Memorial Creator, Bonita Isabella Olmer.]
{26 Jul 2018: On 16 Jun 2016, this memorial was transferred to Nancy's first cousin, Grant Collar, b: 1931. Nancy was the first of two children of Ellene Edwards "Susan" NEWBERRY Erdelyan Luallen (1920-1990) and Victor Robert Earl “Vic” ERDELYAN (1919-1982). Susan was the youngest sister of Grant's mother Noma Lillian NEWBERRY Collar (1908-2000).
On 25 Jun 2016, Grant added Nancy’s birth date/place, death place, middle name "Ann", maiden name: ERDELYAN, and alias:
"Sonja Martin".
01 Oct 2018: Grant added the remainder of this biography from his own book, Newberry Family and In-Laws Revised 2008; extensive emails and phone calls with Nancy’s daughter, Joellen Watkins, who researched and, beginning Aug 2003, furnished almost all data on Nancy’s life after age 8; and family knowledge of Nancy until age 8.
In the winter of 1948 (about Feb), Nancy age 8, brother Tommy age 6, and half-brother Phillip “Erdelyan” age 4 (via unknown father) were left by their mother, Ellene, in front of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, 6896 Highway 70, Memphis TN 38133.
Phillip Michael CASEY, at age four (b: 10 Dec 1943, was still living as of 2018), had to be hospitalized due to his trauma. A doctor who knew Ellene’s older sister, Sunshine NEWBERRY Casey, called her and told her what had happened and that Phillip would die unless someone provided him with the loving care that he needed. Phillip was released to Sunshine and her husband, Nelson, and they applied to adopt him. Ellene agreed immediately and about a year later, Ellene’s husband, Vic, also agreed. In 1950, Ellene and Vic divorced.
The six year old, Thomas Dimitri ERDELYAN, b: 28 Oct 1941 lived 10 more years. He d: 14 Feb 1958 in a car accident returning from Mardi gras, New Orleans to his Memphis “home” with his father, Vic. He was attending high school at School of the Ozarks, Hollister, Missouri, which was a boarding school for disadvantaged children.
The eight year old, Nancy, lived 19 more years. At age 14 years
and 9 months, Nancy had her only viable child. Per State of Tennessee Adoption file, Nancy had provided the father’s identity as:
Guy WHALEN, age 20 [implies b:1932/33], b: Tennessee, serving in Air Force [about Aug 1953] - with no further communication indicated. He was never positively identified nor located by daughter Joellen, nor this writer, Grant.
Nancy’s child was: Mary Joellen CIANCIOLA (originally named Maireadh Lugh ERDELYAN by Nancy), b: 15 May 1954 Memphis. Joellen was adopted through St. Peter’s Orphanage, Memphis at age 3 months and “raised in a loving Italian household and attended Catholic schools in Memphis for 12 years, graduating in 1972, was an art instructor in Memphis for several years and, when I get time to myself, I still paint, mostly murals and portraits here lately [quoting 07 Aug 2003 Joellen email],” m: 08 Jun 1973 to James Frederick “Fred” WATKINS II,
b: 29 Oct 1949 Memphis, lived 1992-2008 at Spring, Texas - a northwest suburb of Houston, where he worked for Exxon. Joellen and Fred had four children, all born Memphis:
(1) James Frederick “Rick” WATKINS III, b: 14 May 1974.
(2) Shawn Michael WATKINS, b: 29 Jun 1978.
(3) Ellen Meredith WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
(4) Melissa Anne WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
In 2003, Nancy’s half-brother, Phillip CASEY, recalled Nancy at age 17 or 18 (1956/57) visiting in his adoptive home of Sunshine and Nelson CASEY, where Nancy was only allowed to visit briefly. When Phillip asked her whereabouts, she only replied that she was “on the road”. Phillip never saw her again.
Nancy married 10 Dec 1963 Seattle, King County, Washington to Dwight Herschel HAMMOND of King County, b: 1937/38 Los Angeles, California (no more is known of Nancy’s marriage, except no divorce was found). Dwight remarried two years after Nancy’s death.
After Nancy’s marriage, she was only substantially documented at death: She was a Proof Reader. She was living with a male friend, Robert Odell BEENSON, at his home at 3059 S.W. Hanford Street and (per Seattle police report) had “drown in the bathtub due to an epileptic seizure and immersion of her face while sitting in 10-12" of water” - as reported to the police by Robert who had “drained the water to about 3-inches and removed her body to a bed”.
The cause of death on the death certificate was cardiac arrest. _____________________ End of biography by Grant Collar}
{26 Jul 2018: On 16 Jun 2016, this memorial was transferred to Nancy's first cousin, Grant Collar, b: 1931. Nancy was the first of two children of Ellene Edwards "Susan" NEWBERRY Erdelyan Luallen (1920-1990) and Victor Robert Earl “Vic” ERDELYAN (1919-1982). Susan was the youngest sister of Grant's mother Noma Lillian NEWBERRY Collar (1908-2000).
On 25 Jun 2016, Grant added Nancy’s birth date/place, death place, middle name "Ann", maiden name: ERDELYAN, and alias:
"Sonja Martin".
01 Oct 2018: Grant added the remainder of this biography from his own book, Newberry Family and In-Laws Revised 2008; extensive emails and phone calls with Nancy’s daughter, Joellen Watkins, who researched and, beginning Aug 2003, furnished almost all data on Nancy’s life after age 8; and family knowledge of Nancy until age 8.
In the winter of 1948 (about Feb), Nancy age 8, brother Tommy age 6, and half-brother Phillip “Erdelyan” age 4 (via unknown father) were left by their mother, Ellene, in front of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, 6896 Highway 70, Memphis TN 38133.
Phillip Michael CASEY, at age four (b: 10 Dec 1943, was still living as of 2018), had to be hospitalized due to his trauma. A doctor who knew Ellene’s older sister, Sunshine NEWBERRY Casey, called her and told her what had happened and that Phillip would die unless someone provided him with the loving care that he needed. Phillip was released to Sunshine and her husband, Nelson, and they applied to adopt him. Ellene agreed immediately and about a year later, Ellene’s husband, Vic, also agreed. In 1950, Ellene and Vic divorced.
The six year old, Thomas Dimitri ERDELYAN, b: 28 Oct 1941 lived 10 more years. He d: 14 Feb 1958 in a car accident returning from Mardi gras, New Orleans to his Memphis “home” with his father, Vic. He was attending high school at School of the Ozarks, Hollister, Missouri, which was a boarding school for disadvantaged children.
The eight year old, Nancy, lived 19 more years. At age 14 years
and 9 months, Nancy had her only viable child. Per State of Tennessee Adoption file, Nancy had provided the father’s identity as:
Guy WHALEN, age 20 [implies b:1932/33], b: Tennessee, serving in Air Force [about Aug 1953] - with no further communication indicated. He was never positively identified nor located by daughter Joellen, nor this writer, Grant.
Nancy’s child was: Mary Joellen CIANCIOLA (originally named Maireadh Lugh ERDELYAN by Nancy), b: 15 May 1954 Memphis. Joellen was adopted through St. Peter’s Orphanage, Memphis at age 3 months and “raised in a loving Italian household and attended Catholic schools in Memphis for 12 years, graduating in 1972, was an art instructor in Memphis for several years and, when I get time to myself, I still paint, mostly murals and portraits here lately [quoting 07 Aug 2003 Joellen email],” m: 08 Jun 1973 to James Frederick “Fred” WATKINS II,
b: 29 Oct 1949 Memphis, lived 1992-2008 at Spring, Texas - a northwest suburb of Houston, where he worked for Exxon. Joellen and Fred had four children, all born Memphis:
(1) James Frederick “Rick” WATKINS III, b: 14 May 1974.
(2) Shawn Michael WATKINS, b: 29 Jun 1978.
(3) Ellen Meredith WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
(4) Melissa Anne WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
In 2003, Nancy’s half-brother, Phillip CASEY, recalled Nancy at age 17 or 18 (1956/57) visiting in his adoptive home of Sunshine and Nelson CASEY, where Nancy was only allowed to visit briefly. When Phillip asked her whereabouts, she only replied that she was “on the road”. Phillip never saw her again.
Nancy married 10 Dec 1963 Seattle, King County, Washington to Dwight Herschel HAMMOND of King County, b: 1937/38 Los Angeles, California (no more is known of Nancy’s marriage, except no divorce was found). Dwight remarried two years after Nancy’s death.
After Nancy’s marriage, she was only substantially documented at death: She was a Proof Reader. She was living with a male friend, Robert Odell BEENSON, at his home at 3059 S.W. Hanford Street and (per Seattle police report) had “drown in the bathtub due to an epileptic seizure and immersion of her face while sitting in 10-12" of water” - as reported to the police by Robert who had “drained the water to about 3-inches and removed her body to a bed”.
The cause of death on the death certificate was cardiac arrest. _____________________ End of biography by Grant Collar}
This grave is shared by Nancy Erdelyan and John Kane. As of May 17, 2015, there was no visible marker on the grave. In the area photo, the grave is located in the grassy space at the bottom center of the photo. Burial Date: August 11, 1967. [This original biography was written by Find A Grave Memorial Creator, Bonita Isabella Olmer.]
{26 Jul 2018: On 16 Jun 2016, this memorial was transferred to Nancy's first cousin, Grant Collar, b: 1931. Nancy was the first of two children of Ellene Edwards "Susan" NEWBERRY Erdelyan Luallen (1920-1990) and Victor Robert Earl “Vic” ERDELYAN (1919-1982). Susan was the youngest sister of Grant's mother Noma Lillian NEWBERRY Collar (1908-2000).
On 25 Jun 2016, Grant added Nancy’s birth date/place, death place, middle name "Ann", maiden name: ERDELYAN, and alias:
"Sonja Martin".
01 Oct 2018: Grant added the remainder of this biography from his own book, Newberry Family and In-Laws Revised 2008; extensive emails and phone calls with Nancy’s daughter, Joellen Watkins, who researched and, beginning Aug 2003, furnished almost all data on Nancy’s life after age 8; and family knowledge of Nancy until age 8.
In the winter of 1948 (about Feb), Nancy age 8, brother Tommy age 6, and half-brother Phillip “Erdelyan” age 4 (via unknown father) were left by their mother, Ellene, in front of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, 6896 Highway 70, Memphis TN 38133.
Phillip Michael CASEY, at age four (b: 10 Dec 1943, was still living as of 2018), had to be hospitalized due to his trauma. A doctor who knew Ellene’s older sister, Sunshine NEWBERRY Casey, called her and told her what had happened and that Phillip would die unless someone provided him with the loving care that he needed. Phillip was released to Sunshine and her husband, Nelson, and they applied to adopt him. Ellene agreed immediately and about a year later, Ellene’s husband, Vic, also agreed. In 1950, Ellene and Vic divorced.
The six year old, Thomas Dimitri ERDELYAN, b: 28 Oct 1941 lived 10 more years. He d: 14 Feb 1958 in a car accident returning from Mardi gras, New Orleans to his Memphis “home” with his father, Vic. He was attending high school at School of the Ozarks, Hollister, Missouri, which was a boarding school for disadvantaged children.
The eight year old, Nancy, lived 19 more years. At age 14 years
and 9 months, Nancy had her only viable child. Per State of Tennessee Adoption file, Nancy had provided the father’s identity as:
Guy WHALEN, age 20 [implies b:1932/33], b: Tennessee, serving in Air Force [about Aug 1953] - with no further communication indicated. He was never positively identified nor located by daughter Joellen, nor this writer, Grant.
Nancy’s child was: Mary Joellen CIANCIOLA (originally named Maireadh Lugh ERDELYAN by Nancy), b: 15 May 1954 Memphis. Joellen was adopted through St. Peter’s Orphanage, Memphis at age 3 months and “raised in a loving Italian household and attended Catholic schools in Memphis for 12 years, graduating in 1972, was an art instructor in Memphis for several years and, when I get time to myself, I still paint, mostly murals and portraits here lately [quoting 07 Aug 2003 Joellen email],” m: 08 Jun 1973 to James Frederick “Fred” WATKINS II,
b: 29 Oct 1949 Memphis, lived 1992-2008 at Spring, Texas - a northwest suburb of Houston, where he worked for Exxon. Joellen and Fred had four children, all born Memphis:
(1) James Frederick “Rick” WATKINS III, b: 14 May 1974.
(2) Shawn Michael WATKINS, b: 29 Jun 1978.
(3) Ellen Meredith WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
(4) Melissa Anne WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
In 2003, Nancy’s half-brother, Phillip CASEY, recalled Nancy at age 17 or 18 (1956/57) visiting in his adoptive home of Sunshine and Nelson CASEY, where Nancy was only allowed to visit briefly. When Phillip asked her whereabouts, she only replied that she was “on the road”. Phillip never saw her again.
Nancy married 10 Dec 1963 Seattle, King County, Washington to Dwight Herschel HAMMOND of King County, b: 1937/38 Los Angeles, California (no more is known of Nancy’s marriage, except no divorce was found). Dwight remarried two years after Nancy’s death.
After Nancy’s marriage, she was only substantially documented at death: She was a Proof Reader. She was living with a male friend, Robert Odell BEENSON, at his home at 3059 S.W. Hanford Street and (per Seattle police report) had “drown in the bathtub due to an epileptic seizure and immersion of her face while sitting in 10-12" of water” - as reported to the police by Robert who had “drained the water to about 3-inches and removed her body to a bed”.
The cause of death on the death certificate was cardiac arrest. _____________________ End of biography by Grant Collar}
{26 Jul 2018: On 16 Jun 2016, this memorial was transferred to Nancy's first cousin, Grant Collar, b: 1931. Nancy was the first of two children of Ellene Edwards "Susan" NEWBERRY Erdelyan Luallen (1920-1990) and Victor Robert Earl “Vic” ERDELYAN (1919-1982). Susan was the youngest sister of Grant's mother Noma Lillian NEWBERRY Collar (1908-2000).
On 25 Jun 2016, Grant added Nancy’s birth date/place, death place, middle name "Ann", maiden name: ERDELYAN, and alias:
"Sonja Martin".
01 Oct 2018: Grant added the remainder of this biography from his own book, Newberry Family and In-Laws Revised 2008; extensive emails and phone calls with Nancy’s daughter, Joellen Watkins, who researched and, beginning Aug 2003, furnished almost all data on Nancy’s life after age 8; and family knowledge of Nancy until age 8.
In the winter of 1948 (about Feb), Nancy age 8, brother Tommy age 6, and half-brother Phillip “Erdelyan” age 4 (via unknown father) were left by their mother, Ellene, in front of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, 6896 Highway 70, Memphis TN 38133.
Phillip Michael CASEY, at age four (b: 10 Dec 1943, was still living as of 2018), had to be hospitalized due to his trauma. A doctor who knew Ellene’s older sister, Sunshine NEWBERRY Casey, called her and told her what had happened and that Phillip would die unless someone provided him with the loving care that he needed. Phillip was released to Sunshine and her husband, Nelson, and they applied to adopt him. Ellene agreed immediately and about a year later, Ellene’s husband, Vic, also agreed. In 1950, Ellene and Vic divorced.
The six year old, Thomas Dimitri ERDELYAN, b: 28 Oct 1941 lived 10 more years. He d: 14 Feb 1958 in a car accident returning from Mardi gras, New Orleans to his Memphis “home” with his father, Vic. He was attending high school at School of the Ozarks, Hollister, Missouri, which was a boarding school for disadvantaged children.
The eight year old, Nancy, lived 19 more years. At age 14 years
and 9 months, Nancy had her only viable child. Per State of Tennessee Adoption file, Nancy had provided the father’s identity as:
Guy WHALEN, age 20 [implies b:1932/33], b: Tennessee, serving in Air Force [about Aug 1953] - with no further communication indicated. He was never positively identified nor located by daughter Joellen, nor this writer, Grant.
Nancy’s child was: Mary Joellen CIANCIOLA (originally named Maireadh Lugh ERDELYAN by Nancy), b: 15 May 1954 Memphis. Joellen was adopted through St. Peter’s Orphanage, Memphis at age 3 months and “raised in a loving Italian household and attended Catholic schools in Memphis for 12 years, graduating in 1972, was an art instructor in Memphis for several years and, when I get time to myself, I still paint, mostly murals and portraits here lately [quoting 07 Aug 2003 Joellen email],” m: 08 Jun 1973 to James Frederick “Fred” WATKINS II,
b: 29 Oct 1949 Memphis, lived 1992-2008 at Spring, Texas - a northwest suburb of Houston, where he worked for Exxon. Joellen and Fred had four children, all born Memphis:
(1) James Frederick “Rick” WATKINS III, b: 14 May 1974.
(2) Shawn Michael WATKINS, b: 29 Jun 1978.
(3) Ellen Meredith WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
(4) Melissa Anne WATKINS, b: 28 Aug 1979.
In 2003, Nancy’s half-brother, Phillip CASEY, recalled Nancy at age 17 or 18 (1956/57) visiting in his adoptive home of Sunshine and Nelson CASEY, where Nancy was only allowed to visit briefly. When Phillip asked her whereabouts, she only replied that she was “on the road”. Phillip never saw her again.
Nancy married 10 Dec 1963 Seattle, King County, Washington to Dwight Herschel HAMMOND of King County, b: 1937/38 Los Angeles, California (no more is known of Nancy’s marriage, except no divorce was found). Dwight remarried two years after Nancy’s death.
After Nancy’s marriage, she was only substantially documented at death: She was a Proof Reader. She was living with a male friend, Robert Odell BEENSON, at his home at 3059 S.W. Hanford Street and (per Seattle police report) had “drown in the bathtub due to an epileptic seizure and immersion of her face while sitting in 10-12" of water” - as reported to the police by Robert who had “drained the water to about 3-inches and removed her body to a bed”.
The cause of death on the death certificate was cardiac arrest. _____________________ End of biography by Grant Collar}
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