Isabella Livaudais De La Houssaye, 59, of Lawrenceville, NJ, passed away on December 2, 2023, almost six years after unexpectedly being diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer as a lifetime non-smoker. Isabella was born on February 2, 1964, in New Orleans, LA, to Isabella Livaudais De La Houssaye and the late Benton Cason De La Houssaye Jr.

Isabella was an extraordinary and multifaceted individual. She was, first and foremost, a loving mother of her five children, an accomplished endurance athlete, and a successful business owner, who was deeply dedicated to her work both in business and philanthropy. She had a deep passion for history, art, and culture, and was an intrepid traveler, which led her to explore over 100 countries on all seven continents. During her travels, she became a renowned collector of arts and antiques and one of the world’s leading experts on a range of material art from double weave ikat textiles to traditional tribal veils. She was named a Fellow of The Explorers Club in 2023 - the highest level of membership one can achieve in the organization.

She was known for her love of undertaking adventures and athletic challenges, many of which she completed with family members, especially her five children and her husband. She climbed four of the Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each continent), cycled across America from California to Florida, did over a hundred marathons including at least one in all 50 US states as well as on each of the seven continents, completed over two dozen IRONMAN races including the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, and took on countless long distances swims, treks, ultramarathons, and more. She began to pursue these feats before her diagnosis, but continued undaunted after, always preferring to identify as an athlete and not as a patient.

Isabella graduated from the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. She went on to attend Princeton University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Politics with a concentration in European Cultural Studies in 1986. She continued her studies with a Rotary Scholarship in Aix-en-Provence France in 1987, and then at Columbia Law School, where she graduated in 1990 and was the first female Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Transnational Law.

Throughout her life, Isabella made significant contributions to a number of fields professionally. She became the Co-Owner of Material Culture, a retail establishment and auction house in Philadelphia, in 2008 and stayed actively working on the business until her passing. Prior to that, she had a successful tenure in the investment banking industry, working for Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong and New York from 1997 to 2005, and as an international lawyer at White & Case in New York and Hong Kong from 1990 to 1997.

Isabella was also deeply involved in numerous charitable organizations on a range of causes that reflected her own diverse interests and passions. She was a dedicated trustee of Princeton in Asia, Students on Ice, and the Princeton Arts Council. Additionally, she was a member of the Director's Council at the Penn Museum and served as a board member for the Give Back Yoga Foundation and Ride Hard Breathe Easy.

Isabella is survived by her beloved husband, David W. Crane, and their children, Cason Crane, David H. Crane, Bella Crane, Oliver Crane, and Chris Crane. She is also survived by her mother Isabella Livaudais De La Houssaye, her sisters Nadia De La Houssaye and Elise De La Houssaye Frantzen, and her brother Benton Cason De La Houssaye III. Isabella was preceded in death by her father, Benton Cason De La Houssaye Jr.

A memorial service to honor Isabella's life will be held on December 15th at 3:30pm at the Princeton University Chapel on Washington Rd & William St., Princeton, NJ 08540. Following the memorial service, a celebration of Isabella's life will take place at 6:00pm at Orchard Hill, located at 3071 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. In accordance with Isabella's wishes, attendees at both events are encouraged to wear colorful attire as a celebration of her memory. If attending the service at the Chapel, please allow ample time for parking in downtown Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the following organizations that were dear to Isabella's heart in her memory: LUNGevity, Students on Ice, Penn Museum, the Princeton Arts Council, or Ride Hard Breathe Easy. Additionally, those who knew Isabella will understand that the greatest thing you could do to honor her memory would be to sign up, participate in and complete an athletic event or other endeavor which is just outside your current comfort zone. As she was wont to say “it is not about managing your fears, it is about expanding your comfort zones.”

Isabella will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched. Her extraordinary spirit and enduring legacy will forever be remembered.

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