Bifford Sinclair Crane

Biff was passionate about a lot of things, including his law practice, in the early days playing golf, and a couple softball teams he co-ran at Greenlake. He loved cheering on his Mariners, Seahawks, Huskies and Ducks. At one point in time, he picked up the model railroad train hobby turning our garage into the Chicago railroad terminal and a series of lines going all over through tunnels and passing towns we would put together with kits from the “train store.”

He was born in Miami, Florida and his family moved to Seattle, Washington when he was around 6 years old, where they called Seattle their home for the duration of their lives. With his father, a Pan American Airline pilot and captain being transferred to Salzburg, Austria and then London, England – Biff (a teenager by then) and his sisters were uprooted from Seattle for a couple years and went to school with other children from Pan Am that were also living in those cities temporarily. Biff eventually returned to Seattle, finishing high school at Shoreline High School before attending the University of Washington, where he got his BA in English Literature. Later he went to Law School in Eugene, OR at the University of Oregon – finished one year and his graduate school was interrupted when he had to make the choice of being drafted into the Vietnam War, or join the Peace Corps He chose the Peace Corps. Went through training and was transferred to Guatemala where he lived for two years teaching fishing techniques to the locals and built a fishing boat from the keel up called the “Pelicano.” He returned to the University of Oregon Law School, finished his graduate law degree and passed the Washington State Bar thereafter in 1973. He took pleasure in creating (when he was cooking in earlier days) dishes with lots of garlic, onions and other aromatics. He was nuts for all vegetables, fruits and salads. When he could no longer stand in the kitchen to prepare meals and dishes, he would sous chef at the dining room table with his trusty cutting board. He masterfully sliced and diced with precision!

Biff is survived by his wife, Debbi Crane, sisters Darcy Crane and Bonnie AuBuchon, and his nephews Harley, Dylan and Oliver. He was predeceased by his father Robert Crane, mother Phyllis Crane, his sister Roxanne Crane and brother Barnaby Crane. No services at his request.