Estella Elizabeth Ashcroft Whipple of Mystic died on January 1st, 2008 at Mystic Manor after a long illness.
She was born on her grandparent's farm in Ledyard, CT on May 3, 1921, the only child of George Edward and Blanche Elizabeth "Jennie" Whipple Ashcroft. She was a graduate of Rhode Island School of Nursing.
Mrs. Whipple cared for hundreds of ill, aged and infirm people in the Mystic area over her lifetime as a nurse and nursing home owner. In the 1940's she opened Pleasant View Rest Home on High Street with her mother. In 1943, she married Jacob "Bob" Austin Whipple and together with Estella's mother in the 1950s they moved to Old Mystic and opened the Old Mystic Convalescent home, the Village Green Nursing Home and Merwin Whipple Hall Nursing Home in Mystic. All three homes were sold in 1960. In 1967, she was proud to open Mystic Manor Nursing Home on High Street, a state of the art facility built by her husband and sons. Her mother and lifelong companion in caregiving died at Mystic Manor in 1972. In 1993, she was honored by the Governor of Connecticut for fifty years as an outstanding nurse and caregiver.
Her beloved husband "Bob" died in 1981. She was predeceased by sons Daniel James and Samuel Austin Whipple, and son-in-law Captain David R. Crocker.
She is survived by her oldest son Robert George Whipple, daughter Ruth Whipple Crocker and her husband Frederic Walperswyler, her adored grandson, Noah Whipple Bean, her faithful and loving cousin Evelyn Putman and husband Jack, along with many caring friends, caregivers, former employees and her beautiful cat "Madame Queen."
Her family will greet relatives and friends at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic on Monday from 4-6pm. A Funeral Eucharist will be celebrated at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 15 Pearl Street on Tuesday at 10am by Fr. Mark A. Santucci, Rector. Burial will follow in the family plot at Elm Grove Cemetery.
Donations in her memory may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
To share a note of remembrance/condolence with her family, please click the link below.