Terry Ashe Croft

Terry Ashe Croft passed away peacefully on February 27, 2021 in New York City where a funeral mass was held on March 10th. Theresa Anne Ashe was born on May 7, 1933 in San Fransicso’s St. Joseph’s Hospital, the youngest child of the late Matthew D. (“Cy”) Ashe and Helen Kelly Ashe. A second-generation San Franciscan, Terry grew up in the ancestral flats on Sacramento Street, built by her maternal grandparents, Robert and Mary Kelly (both of County Roscommon, Ireland).

She attended St. Monica Grammar School, and Convent of The Sacred Heart (lower school - 1944) and High School and graduated from San Fransisco College For Women (Lone Mountain) where, in 1954, she was bestowed, the “Oscar,” the Tower Players’ annual drama award.

She rode horses at St. Francis Riding Club in the Richmond District, and was a member of the San Fransisco Theater Arts Company.

In 1958 Terry moved to New York to pursue acting, studying under Uta Hagen. Her theatrical career spanned five decades and she appeared in many broad-ranging roles in Off and Off-Off-Broadway, regional, and radio productions, to strong acclaim.

Terry is survived by her children Patrica Murphy, Ian, Geoffrey and Douglas Croft, and grandchildren Matthew and Grace Croft, and her loving sister Mary Ashe (San Fransisco), sister-in-law

Wanda Hansen Ashe, and was predeceased by her brother Matthew D. Ashe. Beloved cousin to the Kelly, Ashe, Siggins, Reyff, McNaughton, Slater, Bartolero, Hester and O’Neill families, and honorary cousin Joe Kelly.

A lover of life and family, Terry’s smile, laughter, compassion, and sense of adventure will be with us forever.

In her final years she would often return to The Dreams of Her Youth: Her version of heaven was remembering her days as a child running up and down the hills of San Francisco against an endless sky – the innocence, the freedom, the joy.

You have returned. You are finally free, Mom. GO RUN and NEVER stop. God Bless you.

A burial service will be held on Saturday, May 8th at 11:00am at Holy Cross Cemetery, in Colma, CA. Contributions can made to:

Religious of the Secret Heart, Oakwood,

140 Valparaiso Avenue, Atherton, CA. 94017