Erma Jean "Jeanne" Crane

Jean Crane – January 11, 1941 to March 21, 2023 

Jean Crane of Columbia, MD died Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at Montgomery General Hospital. She was 82. 

Erma Jean (Thorpy) Crane was born Saturday, January 11, 1941 in Perryville, Maryland. She was the daughter of the late Frederick Jerome Thorpy and Vestelle Erma (Sumpter) Thorpy. She was a member of Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Maple Lawn, Maryland. 

Jean grew up in Perryville and Havre De Grace, MD and graduated from Perryville High School in 1958. After graduation, she worked as a secretary for the Veterans Administration’s Dietetic Service in Perry Point, MD and for Aberdeen Proving Ground’s Ballistic Research Lab. After marriage, she worked as a secretary at several government agencies in MD and CA: Rockwell Air Force Procurement Office – the B1-Bomber (AFPRO) (CA), and the Food & Drug Administration (MD), Department of Agriculture (MD). While at Rockwell, she rose to Department Secretary under Department Head Charles Kjelland. She retired from the Government after 25 years of service. 

On June 2, 1973, Jean married Robert Crane who was from Washington, DC. Although both had worked at APG at the same time, they only met in 1967 after he had left the Army. They lived in their “honeymoon” house Bob had bought in 1971 in Takoma Park, MD. After that, they lived briefly in Ashton, MD and later in Yorba Linda, CA for ten years before moving back East to Columbia, MD. They travelled extensively in the United States and did cruises of Hawaii, Alaska, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Ireland, the Scandinavian Countries and they especially enjoyed the European river cruises. 

Jean enjoyed spending time with family and friends, travelling, watching movies, listening to music, restaurants and their dog Columbo. She enjoyed her morning tea and her Venti Two-Pump Vanilla decaf upside down Latte at Starbucks. She was a long-time fan of the Baltimore Orioles and a devoted fan of the Baltimore Ravens.  

Jean was preceded in death by her parents and her half-sisters Gloria (Bill) Parrish and Sylvia (Harry) Slicer, and her sister-in-law Pat Emerson. She is survived by her husband Robert Crane of Columbia, MD; two nieces Pamela (Donnie) Messick and Deborah Emge of Salisbury, MD, great nephews Timothy, Andrew, Kyle and Luke, and great nieces Kristen and Vera.  She is also survived by her brother-in-law David (Angie) Crane of Andover, MN; sister-in-law Joyce (Fred) Baldwin of Pinetop, AZ; and daughter-in-law Cathy (Brendan) Scott of Annandale, VA. 

A mass will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Thursday, March 30th at 11:00 a.m. Friends are invited to meet afterward at the home of Robert and Jean Crane in Columbia. 

Jean will be cremated and she has a cemetery marker next to her mother at Mt. Erin Cemetery in Havre De Grace. Honorary Pallbearers are Kristen Seymour, Kyle Yingling, Andrew Emge and Timothy Emge. 

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