Stephen R. Crampton, 70, died of leukemia at Massachusetts General Hospital on Jan. 23.
Before succumbing to the disease, he received a bone-marrow transplant through the efforts of Massachusetts General Hospital and also an experimental vaccine at the Dana Farber Cancer Center. Stephen Rutty Crampton was born in New Haven, Conn. on Nov. 30, 1939, the son of the late Dr. Clair Beebe and Charlotte (Rutty) Crampton. He practiced law for 35 years in Burlington, Vt., at the firm of Gravel and Shea, helping clients on their projects involving land use and conservation. He was known for his success in balancing the needs of land development and the environment.
Many friendships and an active tennis league led Steve and Susan to Sea Oaks in Vero Beach, where they have spent many happy winters.
He will be missed by the Florida Habitat for Humanity, where he helped quite often.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Susan; his two surviving children, son Stephen C. Crampton and his wife Rachael of Ponte Vedra Beach; daughter Kathryn E. Crampton and her husband Jason E. Lang of Ponte Vedra; six grandchildren, Charlotte, Lucas and Bridget Crampton, and Elizabeth “Ellie”, Sydney and Samuel Lang; his sister Jane Reed and her husband Christopher of Cambridge, Mass.; his brother Michael D. Crampton and his wife Ardith of West Hartford, Conn.; many nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, including his nephew and ‘adopted’ son, David Jones.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Karen.
Friends who prefer may make contributions in his memory to one of: Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation (57 David Avenue, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568); or Martha’s Vineyard Hospital (sent to MV Hospital Development Office, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA, 02557); or Massachusetts General Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant Fund (sent to MGH Development Office, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114).
