Orville F. Crane

Orville F. Crane, 90, Shawnee, Kansas, passed away on Sunday, June 27, 2010 at home.

Orville was born on a farm near Eudora, Kansas and graduated from Eudora High School. He later worked at North American building B-25s where he met his wife, Norma. Orville served in the Army Air Corp. 20th Air Force, 505th Bomb Group during WWII. He was the last of five survivors of an 11-man B-29 crew that crashed in the ocean shortly after takeoff from Tinian Island.

In 1947, he married Norma Berglund. Together they opened a portrait studio in Shawnee. He later became the manager of the photography department for Western Auto's catalog. Orville and Norma had two children, Marvin and Martha Ann.

Orville was a longtime active member of Shawnee United Methodist Church; United Methodist Men; and served as assistant scoutmaster of Troop 93.

Orville was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Jennie (James) Crane, his sister, Emma, and his brother Oscar. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Norma (Berglund) Crane; his brother, James Crane of Wichita, Kansas; son Marvin Crane and partner Sibile Pardue, Shreveport, Louisiana; daughter, Martha Ann (Crane) Matthews and husband Alan, Urbandale, Iowa; and two grandchildren, Douglas and Emily Matthews also of Urbandale, Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be made in Orville’s name to the Shawnee United Methodist Church, 10700 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, Kansas 66203.

Visitation and Funeral Service

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at the Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee. Funeral Service will be 10 a.m., Thursday, July 1, 2010, Shawnee United Methodist Church, with burial to follow in Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens Cemetery.