She was married to Al Christie in 1928. She was a silent comedienne in his movies, The Christie Comedies. She reminded him of his daughter who had earlier died in a horse-back riding accident. I don't know how long they were married.
Her second husband was my grandfather, Robert Wesley. He met her, fell in love with her and threatened to throw himself off the Santa Monica Pier if she didn't marry him. This is "family lore" so I can't prove it! I don't know how long they were married.
My grandmother had two daughters, identical twins born in May, 1943. My mother did not see her mother very often in her life. For the most part, she did not live with her, if at all.
She may have been married to other people as well before her last marriage to Jack Murray. They were driving to Las Vegas in December, 1964, when he had a heart attack. My grandmother was asleep in the backseat. They both died and were buried next to each other on the same day, December 12, 1964. They are buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Las Vegas.
On my mother/aunt's birthday the following year, a tombstone was placed on her grave. The name at the grave site is "Jean F. Murray." I have never been there.
7 comments:
Fern Crum is my second cousin, once removed. She was born in Glen's Ferry, Elmore County, Idaho (according to the ship's record on a trip she took with her mother in 1930). Her father was James Crum (born 14 June 1881, in Scotland). Her mother was Ann Rohde, born in either Richfield or Monroe, Utah. Her grandparents on her father's side were Robert Crum and Catherine Fleming Crum. Catherine is an older sister of my great grandmother, Janet (Jessie) Fleming. According to the 1920 Census, Fern had an older brother, James Robert and two younger brothers and a younger sister, Robert Hugh, Wilma and William Joseph (who died when only 2 months old--in Idaho) James R. and Robert H. both died in California in 1972 and 1979 respectively. I haven't found anything more about Wilma yet. Thanks for sharing your information and the pictures. It's all very interesting. Fern's parents, James and Ann were divorced sometime, but I don't have a definite record.
Sue Anne, Wow!! Thank you so much for your post from January, 2011. I started this blog in 2008 but stopped working on it when my information ran out. Honestly, I hadn't looked at it in a very long time. I am so interested in all of these new relatives!
Question, do you have any pictures of my grandmother or her family members? I don't want to be intrusive.
Also, could you please tell me anything about yourself?
Thank you so much!!
Would like to get in touch via email, if possible! Please send me an email to carolblucky@gmail.com.
I am so happy to find this information, and descendents of Shirley Collins. I am researching Al Christie, and am so glad to get this information. Thank you! I wonder if Shirley and Al divorced in 1930? or by 1932? I found ship records of her travel to Cuba, where she might have gotten a divorce...
Thanks for this information. I knew what her real name was and that she became Shirley Collins. I haven't found out how long she and Al Christie were married, though. I recently signed a contract to write Al Christie's biography scheduled for publication in 2023, so I
am always looking for information about his personal life. I can be reached at mark.kearney@sympatico.ca
I found this page while looking up some distant relative. I have zero relation but got stuck on this mystery and solved the whole thing
Fernanda F. Crum 30 January 1911 – 9 December 1964
aka Shiley Collins aka Jean Murray
Daughter of James Alexander Crum 14 June 1881 – 5 May 1934 and
Anna Camila Rohde Crum 27 September 1887 – 23 December 1956
Sister of
James Robert Crum
Baby Boy Crum 1910-1910
Robert Hugh Crum
June Mary Crum (Wilma)
William Joseph Crum
Married Alfred Ernest Chrisite on 8/22/1928 in Yuma Arizona
Married Robert Wesley
Married John Murray
Two children both deceased
Janis Lee Wesley
Joyce Meredith Wesley
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