Amber J. "Pat" Crane's Obituary
Amber (Pat) (Price) Crane, aged 87, passed away on Friday, August 6, 2021, at Heartwood Lodge in Spring Lake, Michigan. She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Ron, 3 children, Lynnell (Stuart II) Vollmer, Jan (Michael) Jackman, and David (Cindy) Crane. Her legacy includes 11 grandchildren: Stuart III (Carolyn) Vollmer, Dianna (John) Webb, Alyse Vollmer, Barret Vollmer, Regan Vollmer, Christine (Chelsea) Jackman, Ashley Jackman, Janice Crane, Grace (Devan VanDeventer) Crane, Natalie (Andrew) Miller, Caren Crane, and 8 great grandchildren, as well as several very special nephews and nieces.
Pat was born the youngest of 6 children to Elsie (Kaas) and Leo Price on September 8, 1933 and grew up at the family home on the Muskegon River. She graduated from Muskegon High School in the class of 1951 and attended Muskegon Community College. She met her future husband Ron at the age of 16 and after graduating from Michigan State University in 1955 with a teaching degree, married Ronald Crane in Anchorage, Alaska, where he was in the military service. She spent that year teaching elementary Eskimo children, and then they returned to Michigan and lived in Houghton, while Ron finished his engineering degree at Michigan Tech. Their 3 children were born in the subsequent years and the family relocated to Clearwater, Florida, where Pat taught school and was a business owner. They spent 25 years in Florida and relocated to Spring Lake, Michigan in 1995, where they have resided since. She was a member of Spring Lake Presbyterian Church.
Pat’s family was the center of her life, and she was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and sister. She was an excellent cook and baker, always a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies ready for the grandchildren. She was also a very talented seamstress, fashioning everything from window treatments to dresses. Pat welcomed friends and family into her home continuously and was famous for her ability to entertain at the drop of a hat. She loved to play cards with family and friends and cribbage in the evenings with Ron. She had a saying for every occasion and taught the grandchildren silly songs that they still remember. Michigan State football had a special place in her heart, and she would watch the games and sing the fight song when a touchdown was scored. She and Ron spent her later years traveling around the United States. She loved her country and always said there was no better place to be.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 14, 2021 at 4:00 PM at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444. A visitation with the family will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 PM on Friday, August 13, 2021 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Pat’s honor can be made directly to Spring Lake Presbyterian Church, 760 E. Savidge St., Spring Lake, MI 49456. Share memories with the family at www.sytsemafh.com.
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