Dick Crane

Dr. Richard "Rich" T. Crane, September 3, 1951 - April 18, 2015

 
Richard Turner Crane, M.D., age 63 of Eau Claire, Wisconsin died peacefully on April 18th 2015 surrounded by his family at Saint Mary’s Mayo Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota, after a brief battle with cancer. He was born on Sept 3rd 1951 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Frederick Loring Crane and the late Helen Marguerite Eggerth Crane.

He graduated from West Lafayette High School, West Lafayette, Indiana in 1969 and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan in 1973. While at Michigan he was a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. He graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1978. After graduation from medical school he married Sharon Louise Gormley May 6th, 1978 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Richard completed a one-year internship in general surgery at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, VA. He then followed his lifelong dream to journey to Antarctica as the general medical officer at the United States Naval Base at McMurdo Station. While there he participated in the National Science Foundation’s search for meteorites and was invited to return two years later to explore Antarctica in search of more meteorites for a subsequent expedition.

Dr. Crane returned from his exploration to complete his residency in Otolaryngology in 1984 at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, VA. He completed a fellowship in Neurotology at the prestigious House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, CA after which he finished his term of service with the United States Navy.

Dr. Crane founded the Western Wisconsin Ear, Nose, and Throat Center in Eau Claire, WI and built a thriving medical, surgical, and allergy practice with his loyal and loving staff and nurses. Dr. Crane was accepted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons during his time in Eau Claire. He faithfully and selflessly served all his patients and was recognized with the honor of Physician Citizen of the Year from the Wisconsin Medical Society in 2012.

Richard was an accomplished Eagle Scout and his experiences in scouting in conjunction with his time spent at Camp Voyager in Ely, Minnesota fostered his love of exploration. He completed an adventurous 56 day, 1,000 mile trip canoeing on the Back River in the Canadian arctic in 1974 with three fellow campers. His intense interest in the natural world was exemplified in his passions as a rock hound, astronomer, and geologist. He accompanied these passions with hobbies in philately and collection of historic exploration literature. He donated his time imparting all the knowledge he gained on these topic to generations of Immaculate Conception classrooms and Regis Academic competition teams. Richard’s spirit of adventure continued throughout his life via his travels around the world with his beloved family and friends.

Richard is survived by his wife Sherry of 37 years and his children Kevin Gormley Crane (Stephanie Deter), Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ryan Anders Crane, Cincinnati, Ohio; and Chelsea Connell Crane, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Also surviving are his father Frederick Loring Crane and step mother Marilyn Crane, Peoria, Illinois, his sister Katherine Crane Teske (James), Dayton, Ohio, and his uncle Benjamin F. Crane, Brooklyn, NY. Richard is also survived by his nieces Molly Welch (Kim), Melissa Gormley, and Karin M. Teske as well as nephews Brian F. Teske (Melissa), Eric J. Teske (Christopher), great nephews Jackson J. Teske and Dane M. Teske, brother-in-law Greg Gormley (Carol) and sister-in-law Jody Gormley (Mary Pat Wenderoth) and cousins Betsy, Michael, and Susan Crane.

Richard was preceded in death by his mother Helen Eggerth Crane, his sister Eleanor Stange Crane and his brother Thomas Loring Crane.

He will be missed by loving family, friends, colleagues, staff, nurses and patients.
His funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 22nd in Eau Claire, WI at Immaculate Conception Church with Visitation from 9:00am – 11:00am and Mass to be held at 11:00am. Lunch in the Father Klink Parish Center Hall will be provided immediately following Mass. His Inurnment will be at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Eau Claire, WI with Military Honors being rendered by American Legion Post #53.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are welcomed to the Camp Voyageur Foundation, Ely, Minnesota and Regis Catholic Schools with a designation to Academic Enrichment.

Fuller Speckien Hulke Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.