Lt. Col. Patricia A. Crane

1959-2024

Lt. Col. Patricia A. Crane, U.S. Army, Ret., age 64, of Medford, town of Grover, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024 while under the care of Hope Hospice. Pat was born Nov. 2, 1959 in South Bend, Ind., to Burke and Kathryn (Aldinger) Crane. She grew up in Lombard, Ill., and graduated from Glenbard East High School, class of 1978. She furthered her education at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, then at University of Illinois, Chicago where she earned her nursing degree.

Pat then joined the U.S. Army and worked as a nurse midwife. Over her 28 years of military service, she was deployed to Iraq during wartime for nine months, spent time in Korea and Egypt, and was stationed in Alaska for five years. At the time of her retirement, she had earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Following her service to the country, she purchased her parent’s home on Richter Lake in Taylor County, Wisconsin. She continued traveling back and forth between Alaska, Florida and Wisconsin in her motorhome, often times visiting ailing family members and caring for them during illness or in their final days. Although extremely independent (and according to family members, very stubborn) she continued to care for everyone else despite her own illness, and even kept her great sense of humor. Amazingly, she never let her cancer diagnosis rule her world and she managed a trip to Paris after recent hip surgery and had a trip to Rome planned for this October. Pat always said her perfect day was floating in her canoe on Richter Lake and listening to the loons.

She will be missed by her brother, David (Barbara) Crane of Aurora, Ill.; sister, Karen (James) Gieleghem of Statesboro, Ga.; brother-in-law, Richard Freer of Arlington Heights, Ill.; nephews, Ian Crane of Aurora, Ill., Michael Crane of Boston, Mass., Trey Gieleghem of Statesboro, Ga.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Michael Crane.

A private celebration of life will be held at her home on Richter Lake with military honors provided by the Medford Area Military Honors Team.

In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates memorials in Pat’s honor to go to the Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org) or to Hope Hospice of Medford.

Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services of Medford is serving the family.

Please visit www.hemerfuneralservice.com to share condolences online.

Paid Obituary 156731