Stephen Alan Crandall

Stephen Alan Crandall was born on April 6, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York, first son of Sidney and Odette Ozerow Crandall. His brother and best friend, Dean, was born three years later.

Steve grew up in Brooklyn and Long Island until his parents moved to California when he was in 8th grade. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1959, and went to USC for his undergraduate degree. Law school took him to New York City, where he finished Fordham Law in 1967 and began his career as an attorney with the NYC Legal Aid Society. He won numerous felony jury trials, and went on to work with a ground-breaking organization that enlisted Big Law attorneys to do pro bono work in civil and criminal cases in Harlem.

Along the way, working during the day while attending law school at night, he was employed by the Vera Foundation in the New York courts, and was far ahead of his time in interviewing newly-arrested defendants to give the judge information about their ties to the community and likelihood of eligibility for release without bail. One day in March 1965, a new employee timidly knocked on the bars of the Tombs, the NYC city jail, and asked to speak to Stephen Crandall. He greeted her, and said: “How would you like to meet a real murderer?” In the holding cell was one of the alleged murderers of Malcom X (later fully exonerated). The rest is the history of a 57-year marriage to the timid knocker, Susan Emlet.

Steve and Susan lived in a studio apartment on the upper West Side while working for the Legal Aid Society. Eventually the studio apartment got cramped, and the wide world beckoned. In 1972, facing the looming re-election of Richard Nixon, Steve and Susan decided to escape the US and embarked on a road trip. Buying a VW Westphalia camper van in Germany, they spent 1972-1973 covering all of Europe, Western Russia, Ukraine (where Steve’s grandparents originated), North Africa, the Middle East - and ended up in Iran, where they lived for four years, first teaching English and then working as attorneys in an Iranian law firm, where they made life-long friendships. With the birth of their son Eric they decided to move closer to family. They returned to the US in 1977 and settled in Arlington, VA, until Steve was offered a job at Amdahl Corporation. Steve found himself back in California, and with a newborn daughter, Lydia.

Steve had - by today’s standards, especially - a long career at Amdahl, eventually referring to himself as Señor Counsel. No gold watch, but a lot of golden friends, with whom he has actively maintained social contact for many years. Although he had left public service behind, Steve continued to contribute to his community, serving as Board Member of the Timpany Center, a non-profit offering pool-based physical therapy.

After retirement in 2004, Steve kept up his old friendships and made new ones. His hiking/biking group was a mainstay, meeting every Monday and Thursday; his Tuesday group involved Amdahl friends and others. The pleasure he took in his many friendships was evident to everyone. He also spent time in his retirement as an avid reader and follower of current events, happily engaging in political discussions with anyone, particularly those with an appetite for debate.

As the biking and hiking became too much, Steve and friend Jerry began walking around the neighborhood, where he never met a stranger. Then COVID brought the neighborhood together at a weekly gathering. It was with great pleasure that Steve attended this gathering the Thursday before he fell ill again. He also joined the hikers that same week.

Significant to the family was his sojourn across the country to Ocean City, N.J. for a week-long family reunion, which he attended despite a broken hip that became infected with MRSA. Shortly after this trip, he died due to complications resulting from this infection.

He leaves behind his wife Susan; his brother Dean, nieces Radha and Nina; son Eric, daughter-in-law Sharifa and granddaughter Mira; daughter Lydia, son-in-law Brandon and grandsons Evan and Damon.

He is sorely missed. A raucous celebration of his life will be held soon.