Celebration of Life Richard H. Crandall

Dick died suddenly and unexpectedly Thursday evening at Manning Regional Healthcare Center.
Visitation Sunday, May 17, 2009 after 4:00 p.m.
Masonic Memorial Service Sunday, May 17, 2009, 7:00 PM
Ohde Funeral Home, Manning, Iowa
Funeral Service Monday, May 18, 2009, 11:00 AM
United Methodist Church, Manning, Iowa
Pastor Lanette Plambeck, Officiating
Music "Sentimental Journey" Frank Sinatra "What A Wonderful World" Louie Armstrong "Come Rain or Come Shine" Ray Charles "How Great Thou Art" Congregation
JoAnn Karsten, Accompanist
Casket Bearers: Greg Sextro, Bob Gaffney, Brad Vollstedt, Kevin Boyle, Gaylin Ranniger, Claus Bunz
Honorary Casket Bearers: Joe Cerveny, Wayne Magnuson, Charles Henderson, Harold Sand, Leroy Sand, Kenneth Sand
Honor Guard: Carroll County Bar Association
Interment with Military Honors
American Legion Post 22 & Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517
Monday, May 18, 2009, 2:00 PM
Lake Creek Cemetery, Near Lake City, Iowa
"Just A Closer Walk With Thee" "Because He Lives" "America"


Richard Horace, son of Joel M. Crandall (whose family came to the USA from England with the Pilgrims in 1600s) and Agnes Johnson (whose ancestry is Swedish) Crandall, was born October 21, 1925, at the family home in Lake City, Iowa. He attended Lake City Schools, graduating with the Class of 1944. However, Richard did not attend graduation ceremonies because he had been drafted into the United States Army and was in basic training at Camp Dodge in Des Moines. Following his basic training he was sent to Camp Crowder in Missouri for schooling in the Signal Corps. He spent his 19th birthday on a cargo ship heading to New Guinea. On the way they stopped at many ports to deliver Christmas packages to other troops. After spending a short time at the staging area on New Guinea, he was transferred to Biak Island where he was a telephone and cable splicer.

After his honorable discharge in 1946, Dick attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City, for seven years where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Economics before receiving his Bachelor of Laws Juris Doctorate. In mid June 1952, he passed the bar exam and started his own law firm in Manning. Shortly after coming to town, Dick met a Manning School teacher Ruth Sand. They were united in marriage on June 5, 1955, at the United Methodist Church in Manning. Dick and Ruth were the parents of four children and Ruth was able to stay at home to care for them and be a full time homemaker while Dick devoted his time to his law practice and the community of Manning.

Dick was a life time member of the United Methodist Church. (His great grandfather was a Methodist minister.) His professional memberships included the American Bar Association, Iowa Bar Association and American Judicor Association. He also served as Bar Examiner from 1971 - 1986. He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Consistory in Sioux City and Za-Ga-Zig Shrine in Des Moines. Dick served as Secretary of the Manning Board of Education for 32 years. He was very active in the community and was a founding member of the Manning Rotary Club, still attending meetings in the week of his death. He was a member of the Development Corporation that built the factory on the west edge of town and the Betterment Foundation. He was also on the original board of the Manning Heritage Foundation. He actively participated in Liederkrantz as a tenor and had quite a collection of standard jazz recordings. As soon as he moved to Manning he became a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. In addition to all of his other interests he proudly shared his devotion to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Dick loved his home at 103 First Street in Manning and he and Ruth diligently cared for their home and yard. They enjoyed spending time with their children and grandchildren and took many memorable trips with their family.

Dick was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1988 and carried on in his law practice and community activities despite his illness. When he could no longer remain at home with Ruth's care, he became a resident of the Manning Plaza Nursing Home in January of 2008. He partook in many activities at the Plaza and enjoyed visiting. He died suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday, May 14, 2009, at Manning Regional Healthcare Center, at the age of 83 years, six months and 27 days.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Duane Whaley.

Survivors include his wife Ruth Crandall of Manning; four children: Dr. David Crandall and fiance Vikki Clemente of Fox River Grove, IL; Ann Crandall of Wheeling, IL; Susan Crandall of Chicago, IL; and Barbara and husband Greg Hergert of Arlington Heights, IL; daughter-in-law Suzanne Crandall of Chicago; four grandchildren Geoffrey and Steven Crandall and Meghan and Mason Hergert; sister Carol Whaley of Roseville, MN; sisters and brothers-in-law: Elsie and husband Joe Cerveny of LaVista, NE; Eleanor and husband Wayne Magnuson of Omaha, NE; Esther and husband Charles Henderson of Manning; Harold Sand of Audubon; Leroy Sand and wife Nancy of Kimballton; and Kenneth Sand and wife Carolyn of Prairie Du Chien, WI, many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.