Ray H. Cranston, 91, Spencer

A funeral service in memory of Ray H. Cranston will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Visitation will be held Thursday, Aug. 1, from 5-7 p.m. at the church. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery at Spencer. Warner Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements.

Ray Harley Cranston, the son of Harley and Gladys (Flint) Cranston, was born Jan. 19, 1933. He had three siblings, Cleone, Coleen and Merlyn, and grew up on the family farm located at Everly. He attended his early school years in a one-room schoolhouse, which was located about a mile from the family's farm. He frequently would ride his beloved pony Billy to and from the schoolhouse. After attending Everly High School, he grew passionate working alongside his father on the family's farm. He made a lifetime career of farming, surrounding himself with the very best in farming, his wife Dorothy and Gary Weiskircher. Ray served in the Army and the Korean War.

After returning home, Ray met the love of his life, Dorothy (Langel) Cranston, at the Roof Garden in Okoboji. The two had a seven-year courtship and were married on March 14, 1964, in Des Moines. They made their home north of Everly on the farm for many years. The marriage was blessed with two daughters, Hayley and Lynn.

Ray put his family and farming above everything. You could frequently find him in the fields checking on corn and soybeans or in the shop working on a project. Ray thoroughly enjoyed his sense of community and living in his small town, blessed with great family, friends and neighbors, especially the lifetime of support from nephew, Leo Behrens and his wife Kathy, including their sons Brad and Greg, along with grandsons Dylan and Drew.

Ray passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday July 21, 2024 at the Spencer Hospital, at the age of 91. His granddaughter Andrea and her fiancé Jake were lucky to have a wonderful last visit with Ray in the afternoon that included lots of laughter and smiles to last a lifetime.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy (Langel) Cranston; his daughter, Hayley Cranston Shepard; his parents; brother, Merlyn Cranston; sisters, Coleen Behrens and Cleone Cranston; brothers-in-law, Ervin Behrens, Paul Hintz, Earl Langel and Dale Langel; sister-in-law, JoAnn Langel; niece, Cindy Hintz Rush; and nephews, Marty Langel and Allan Langel.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Lynn and her husband, Dan Burke; granddaughter, Andrea Burke (fiancé Jake Archer); son-in-law, Dr. Allan Shepard, of Tega Cay, S.C.; sisters-in-law, Maxine Cranston, Phyllis Hintz, Glatha Langel and Mary Langel; brother-in-law, Wayne Langel; and numerous relatives and friends.