Duane Lyle Crane

We gather today to honor Duane Lyle Crane, husband, father, and beloved "Papa" to so many.
Duane was born in Newell, South Dakota on October 23, 1934. He lived in Newell until he was 14 years old when the family packed up and moved to Portland, Oregon. He joined the military when he was just 17 years old and served his country honorably in Korea in the Army National Guard. He proudly served as an Airman in the Air Force for 11 years. He wore his Air Force baseball cap as often as he could and was honored when he received "thank you for your service" from people who saw that cap.
He was an avid golfer and could talk about his golf games for hours, analyzing each swing and talking through each score. His golfing buddies have been some of his closest and most cherished friends.
Duane was a diehard baseball fan. He loved the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs but was known to root for the Washington Nationals when visiting his kids on the East Coast, unless they played the Cubs or the Mets! He was old school when it came to cheering on as well as heckling his favorite teams, calling out praise and disgust with such gusto, he made every game fun. He spent most of his time during the last few weeks watching baseball and enjoying the thrill of his favorite sport.

Duane loved to travel, especially by car. Nothing much excited him more than to drive across the country, stopping at roadside attractions, tracing the route of the Oregon Trail, exploring the history of our country, visiting relatives and making friends with everyone he met. He was never happier than when he was behind the wheel of a car, with the open road before him and Mountain Dew at hand.
He shared stories with old and new friends alike. He loved to reminisce about his days riding "broncs" in the rodeo, growing up on a ranch in South Dakota, or about travelling the world in the military. He often told all about the time he met John Wayne in North Africa, about hitchhiking across the country while on leave, and about the different foods he got to try during his travels. His favorite story was about the one time he tried drinking alcohol and ended up standing on the top bunk in his barracks leading a charge up San Juan Hill!
After working hard to support his family at the Post Office for many years, Duane discovered a new joy in his retirement when he began his amateur acting career. From "Romeo and Juliet" to "Tony and Tina's Wedding", to his participation in Northwest Senior Theater, he loved being on stage and in front of a crowd.
He was a faithful member of Scholls Community Church, attending regularly for almost 50 years. He adored his wife, Audrey. His loyalty to her through many trials and tribulations is a tribute to his quiet, peace-loving spirit. His favorite role in life, however, was being a grandpa. From the moment that he met his first grandchild, Alex, to the last day of his life, his love for his grandchildren has shone through every aspect of his existence. He has been a tireless transporter, a safe and comforting lap, an encourager and a gracious and loving "Papa". His grandchildren, Alex, Mikyla, Erika, Ciera, Susie, and Maria, were the most important people in his life. He had several adopted grandchildren, Trinity, Jenny, and a multitude of other children who called him "Papa". Just mention the word, "grandchildren" around Duane and he could be counted on to have stories and pictures to share about these beloved young people.
Duane was kind, gentle and generous. He will be greatly missed. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lyle and Georgia Crane, his brother, Ralph, and his wife, Audrey. He is survived by his sister, Veneita, in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; his children, Debra, in Hillsboro, Oregon; Diana, in Arlington, Virginia; Lyle, in Mesa, Arizona; and Daniel, in Arlington, Virginia; as well as his grandchildren, Alex, Susie, Maria, Mikyla, Erika, and Ciera.