Region 6 People - Nell Crandall

Nell Crandall
(Photo by Mary Gage)

Nell Maurice (Cottle) Crandall
Region 6 RVP 1986-87
"The Spider Lady"
September 17, 1923 - September 3, 2013
by Ray Houston

Hemerocallis 'Nell Crandall'
(Lucille Guidry, 1976)
(Photo by Mary Gage)

Nell was a native Texan, born and raised in the small town of Moran, Shackelford County, 50 miles east of Abilene. She was the daughter of James Morris Cottle and Zola Lee (Clement) Cottle.

Nell received her degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas and worked for Humble Oil & Refining Company, where she met her husband, John Roderic Crandall, a Petroleum Engineer. John passed away December 17, 2004, at the age of 90. Nell and John had no children.

Nell became interested in growing daylilies in 1975 and joined the Houston Area Daylily Society and American Hemerocallis Society in 1976. The spidery daylilies became her passion, so much so that she became known affectionately as "The Spider Lady."

Nell created a special daylily garden at her home in Houston that she called her "U.S.A. Daylily Bed." She told everyone that "U.S.A." stood for Uniques, Spiders, and Antiques. Nell was a member of the American Hemerocallis Society Spider Robin and worked diligently to preserve many of the older spidery cultivars that had gained popularity.

In 1976, noted daylily hybridizer, Lucille Guidry from Abbeville, Louisiana, registered Hemerocallis 'Nell Crandall' in honor of Nell.

Besides growing daylilies, Nell's hobbies included photography, calligraphy, sewing, and travel. She also collected Indian baskets and pottery of the American Southwest. Her calligraphy was featured on the covers of the 1983-85 Region 6 newsletters.

Nell served as 1982-83 Region 6 Publicity Director and made sure that every local Daylily Society received coverage in the Region 6 Newsletters. She served as 1983-84 President of the Houston Area Daylily Society, and also served the club as Vice President and Program Chair. Nell also served the club as their Treasurer for 16 years until the end of 2000.

In 1984, Nell was honored as the recipient of the American Hemerocallis Society Region 6 Service Award for her service to American Hemerocallis Society and Region 6.

Nell served as 1986-87 Region 6 RVP and Newsletter Editor, and in 1988 received the American Hemerocallis Society Award for the Best Regional Newsletter. That is quite an accomplishment.

Nell hybridized and registered four daylilies - H. 'Calico Spider' (1987), 'Satan's Curls' (1987), 'Slender Lady' (1987), and 'Skinny Minny' (1991). Each of these became very popular with daylily enthusiasts.

In 1989, Nell donated a plant of 'Satan's Curls' for the Region 6 auction. When the bidding started, people began their usual low dollar bidding, attempting to get a bargain. From the back of the room, Mary Smith, member of the San Antonio Daylily Society, shouted out her bid, "Two Hundred Dollars." There was a gasp from the crowd and the auctioneer, after regaining his composure, asked if there were any other bids. There being none, Mary's $200 bid purchased the daylily. At that time, $200 was the highest bid ever at a Region 6 Auction. Mary immediately presented 'Satan's Curls' back to the auction and it was sold again, but not at such a high bid.

Nell served many years as an American Hemerocallis Society Garden Judge and an American Hemerocallis Society Senior Exhibition Judge. When she judged daylily flower shows, she always requested that she be assigned to the judges panel which would be judging the Spider Section, and most often her wishes were honored.

Nell was also an accomplished floral designer and won many awards for her designs entered in the daylily flower shows.