Joseph Maurice Crane

Celebration of life: Family and friends are invited to share in a joyful celebration of Papa Joe's life 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel in east Fort Worth.

Memorials: While in therapy over the past few years for stroke recovery, Papa Joe became increasingly grateful to several of his occupational therapists. He delighted in supporting the occupational therapy program where his son-in-law is employed and enjoyed picking out craft supplies, games, etc. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to support the occupational therapy program at Texas Health Springwood Hospital. Donations may be mailed to Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation, 6100 Western Place, Suite 1001, Fort Worth, Texas 76107.

Papa Joe, the son of the late Luther and Helen Johnson Crane, was born June 25, 1929, in Fort Worth. Upon graduating from Technical High School in 1947, he began his career at Southwestern Bell by collecting coins from pay telephones. He then served two years with the 10th Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan. After discharge from the Army, he returned to Southwestern Bell as a lineman. In 1962, he transferred to the Yellow Pages division as an advertising salesman. After 30-plus years, he retired as vice president of advertising. His career with Southwestern Bell took him to Fort Worth, Dallas, St. Louis and Houston. After retirement in 1986, he and his late wife, Sylvia, moved to Hamilton to fulfill a lifelong dream of restoring what he lovingly called "The Money Pit." Hamilton became a favorite getaway for all of his children and grandchildren. The house on College Street was the site for many a rowdy game of Shanghai, which is still a cherished family tradition. He loved entertaining the "rug rats" with cook-outs, ghost stories and Papa Joe's famous contraptions and gadgets crafted from his woodshop. He served on the Hamilton City Council in 1989, and was elected mayor of Hamilton, serving from 1990-1996. He was instrumental in bringing a new 5,000-foot runway to Hamilton Airport and completion of a major waterline from Lake Proctor to Hamilton. He and his wife's love of the Southwest took them to Santa Fe for several years before returning to Cleburne to be near their daughters. After the death of his beloved wife, Sylvia, he and a little dog named Pearl came to live with his daughter and son-in-law in Fort Worth.

Papa Joe was a devoted father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather. He had a unique and wonderful sense of humor and was known to be a magnificent story-teller (some true and some not-so-true) with a vivid imagination. As a salesman, manager and leader, he was loved and respected by his peers and family. His interests included woodworking, writing short stories and poetry. He had a voracious appetite for reading and working crosswords. In his latter years he was always introduced to his children and grandchildren's friends as "Papa Joe" -- he cherished that title of endearment and there were no strangers to him. The void that he left will remain empty but the memories are rich and will be treasured by many.

Survivors: His greatest legacy includes daughters, Helen Gibson and husband, Patrick, of Fort Worth, Cathy Harmon of Fort Worth and Christy Thacker and husband, Danny, of Cleburne; grandchildren, Scott Harmon, Patrick J. Gibson, Bryan Thacker, Michael Gibson, Lauren Bastible and husband, Craig, and Jennifer Webb and husband, James; great-grandson, Brody Bastible. There are countless honorary children and grandchildren who are proud to call him Papa Joe.

Arrangements under the direction of Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel & Cemetery, Fort Worth, TX.