He was born September 6, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Richard Zeigler and Elizabeth Ringwalt Crane. His family roots stemmed from Quincy, Massachusetts, beginning with Henry Crane (1621-1710) through Dick's grandfather Emery Locke Crane, who was the Quincy Clerk for many years.
Dick started his travels at an early age. He learned to walk on a months-long boat trip through the Panama Canal en route to the Philippine Islands. When they landed, he had to learn to walk again on land. His sister Betsy was born in the Philippines and his sister Dotty was born when the family returned to Massachusetts a few years later. Dick had rich, lifelong memories of his childhood at the Springfield Arsenal in Massachusetts. The family then moved to Belmont, where he could travel on his own by public transit to Braves Field or Fenway Park. He spent his high school years in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where he frequented the open air dance floor at Eastwood Amusement Park to catch all of the famous big bands on tour.
Dick graduated from Grosse Pointe High School in 1942 and was accepted into the West Point Class of 1945. He graduated in August 1945 and was sent immediately to Germany as part of the post war occupation. In 1948 he was assigned to Fort Bliss, El Paso, where he met and married Patricia Vesey Crane. They had two children, Stephen Clarkson Crane and Catherine Curtis Crane. The family shared wonderful adventures as they navigated military life in Montgomery, AL, Colorado Springs, CO, Wertheim, Germany, Carlisle, PA, and Washington, DC, before Dick and Pat divorced in 1971.
Dick spent 30 years in the military serving in Germany, South Korea, and Vietnam. He earned Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southern California, and International Relations at George Washington University. His areas of special interest were War Gaming Theory and International Affairs. From 1960 to 1963 he was with the War Gaming Division at NORAD. While stationed at Fort Hood in the early 1970s he worked on integrating lasers into live wargames (an early military version of laser tag).
Dick retired from the Army in 1975 and earned another degree in computer programming. In 1976, he began his second career at the Texas Attorney General's Office, developing and implementing a computer program to collect and disburse child support payments within the state of Texas.
For the next ten years he was an avid swimmer and participated in competitive squash tournaments across the country. In 1988 he married Gina Sinclaire and welcomed her three sons and their families into his life. Dick and Gina settled in Austin, then moved to the Army Residence Community (ARC) in San Antonio in 1994. For the next eight years Dick and Gina traveled extensively and enjoyed spending time with family and friends until Gina’s death in 2002.
During those years, the ARC was the only high-rise building in the area north of San Antonio. Dick realized if he created a cross out of Christmas lights on the side of the building, it would be visible for a great distance. With his mathematical mind, he scaled a cross that covered the width of his balcony (16 feet) and a height of four stories (48 feet). It took 4 men to string the lights up one balcony, and down 3 others on the outside of the 14-story building. The cross was displayed for 40 days, from the day after Thanksgiving to January 5. Dick would then pack up the lights and store them for reuse the following season. The Christmas cross came to be cherished by ARC residents and neighboring communities. Eventually the ARC Resident Council took over the logistics and funded two additional crosses for the other sides of the building.
Dick had a keen knowledge of music, movies, sports, and history. He took great joy in sharing his favorite films, music, and insights with others. When his family challenged him to answer every sports question in the Trivial Pursuit deck, he did it with ease. He was a dignified, graceful man who enjoyed telling jokes and dispensing positive calming advice to his kids and grandkids.
During COVID-19, the Crane family started a weekly Zoom gathering. Dick was the focal point that brought three generations together and kept them going through three difficult years. Dick was blessed to live a healthy, active, and long life. Still, we feel we lost him too soon. His calming voice and bright blue eyes will be dearly missed.
Dick is survived by his son Stephen Crane and daughter-in-law Susan, daughter Cathy Crane and son-in-law Jeff McCord, and grandchildren Stephanie Crane, Christopher Crane, and Ben McCord, as well as Gina’s sons Brian Sinclaire and wife Colleen, Christopher Sinclaire and wife Sylvia, Steve Sinclaire and wife Laure, and grandchildren Scott Sinclaire, Stephanie Pazos, Patrick Sinclaire, Kelli Potts, Christopher “Kit” Sinclair, and Whitney Sinclaire.
A service will be held at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Assembly Area on Friday, June 10th at 11:00 am. Please plan to arrive at Shelter 1 by 10:45 a.m.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.colonialuniversal.com for the Crane family.
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