Norma Ruby Crane

Norma Ruby (Berglund) Crane was born December 15, 1922 in Kansas City, Missouri, to Herman Theodore and Florence Myrtle (Elliott) Berglund, the fourth of five children. As a child, she survived small pox. The family moved to Shawnee, Kansas around 1925. The children began attending Shawnee Methodist Church where they would walk each Sunday. Norma was a member for 84 years. She graduated from Shawnee Mission (North) High School and was the first Honored Queen of Job's Daughters, Bethel 27, Shawnee.

As a young adult, Norma worked at Hallmark Cards and later at the North American B-25 bomber plant in the parts department during WWII. To meet her, a young male co-worker, Orville Crane, played a modest April Fool's prank requesting a part that didn't exist. They eventually became engaged, but WWII called. Orville survived a plane crash in the ocean, returned home and, after a four-year engagement, were married on August 23, 1947. They had two children, Marvin and Martha Ann.

Norma was an at-home Mom and later worked as a floor manager at TG&Y for a number of years. She was always busy as Sunday school teacher, room mother, and Cub Scout and Camp Fire leader, and folded cancer bandages for the American Cancer Society. She belonged to Home Demonstration Unit, Eastern Star, and True Kindred where she held various offices including Worthy Matron. At church she was involved in United Methodist Women, served as Sunday school secretary and coordinated funeral dinners.

Norma is preceded in death by her husband, Orville, her parents, her sisters Phyllis and Carlein, and brothers Daryl and John. She is survived by her son, Marvin Crane (Sibile Pardue) of Shreveport, Louisiana, and her daughter, Martha Ann (Alan) Matthews and two grandchildren, Douglas and Emily of Urbandale, Iowa.

Visitation and Funeral Service

Visitation will be from 2-4 pm, Sunday, August 1, 2010, at the Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee. Funeral service will be 10 am., Monday, August 2, 2010, at Shawnee United Methodist Church. Burial to follow in Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens.