Norman Lee “Pat” Crane, 87, Stockton, passed away in his home surrounded by family on Monday, December 21.
Pat was the youngest of four children born to Jess and Vada Crane. Pat was born at home June 11, 1933, in Cedar County.
At a young age the family moved to Nevada for Jess to work on the railroad, soon retuning to Pat’s forever home in Cedar County. Pat grew up farming and at a young age knew that farming was what he was meant to do.
He met the love of his life, Pauline Hammons, and they were married in November of 1952. Recently, the couple celebrated their 68th anniversary. To this union two daughters were born, Debbie and Denise.
Then within a couple of years, the pair purchased their first farm, which consisted of 300 acres and a milk barn. Pat later bought his second farm while transitioning into a full cow-calf operation known as Angus Acres. Pat spent a lifetime farming, being most proud of the 30 years he spent farming the Sac River bottom.
Pat continued his hard work as a heavy equipment operator for the construction of the Stockton Dam until its completion in 1969. He would drive the heavy equipment by day and farm the Sac River bottom at night.
Pat loved the outdoors, including hunting deer, turkey and coyotes and taking his family fishing. He served on the Stockton R-I School Board, with ASCS office, and Sac Osage Electric Co-op.
He and Pauline are members of the Fairview Missionary Baptist Church. The only time Pat ever left the farm for a vacation was with some of his closest friends to Canada … to see farm ground.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Jess and Vada Crane; brother Roe Crane, sister and brother-in-law Lois and Foxie Sumner; sister and brother-in-law Doris and Kenton Wood; sisters and brother-in-laws Lois and Jim Brandom, Frances and Oral Yancey and Ernest Varrue.
Survivors include wife Pauline of the home; daughters Debbie Fischer and husband Robin of Stockton, and Denise Feldt and husband Jon of Springfield; granddaughters Chelsi Haun and husband Casey of Stockton and Morgan Feldt of Springfield; great-grandsons Jaxon and Mason “Moose” Haun of Stockton; brother and sisters-in-law Junior and Laura Hammons and Dorothy Verrue; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Services for Pat were held Thursday, Dec. 24, at Stockton Christian Church. Burial followed the services in Stockton Cemetery. All arrangements were entrusted to Bland-Brumback Funeral Home, Stockton.
The family wishes to express our heart filled thanks for all the many thoughts, prayers, cards and more. These expressions of sympathy will never be forgotten. May God bless each one of you.
