Eleanor Cassese, 67, a long-time resident of Kokkini Hani, has died in hospital after being in a coma for several days. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Born and raised in California, Ellie, as she was known to her many friends, was an accomplished artist and writer. She moved to Crete in 1986 and worked for a time on local archaeological sites sketching newly-discovered objects.

Ellie published several non-fiction books on art and history, including one on the Victorian homes in Nevada City, California, which featured her original pen-and-ink sketches to accompany the text.  Her most recent published work was an article in the April, 2007, edition of The Khronicles where she combined her skills as a writer and artist in discussing the best colour combinations for painting Cretan homes. In addition, Ellie was trained as an emergency medical response volunteer and devoted many hours to her charitable work while residing in the U.S.   

On the news of his mother's illness, her son, Steven, rushed to Crete, but arrived too late. Following his mother's wishes, he made arrangements for her remains to be cremated. Funeral services will be held in her home town in California.

In addition to her son, Ellie is survived by her mother, Jean Cates, a brother, Richard, and a grandson, Max.