Wilma Crane, 69, daughter of William Butterfield and Lula Robison Crane, passed away surrounded by family on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Bennington, Idaho at the family home. She had been diagnosed just five weeks earlier with lung cancer. Wilma was born January 1, 1944 in Montpelier, the third of 10 children. She grew up in Bennington on the family farm where at an early age she learned the value of hard work and the importance of family harmony. She cherished her heritage and the memories of her happy childhood.
She attended schools in Bennington and Montpelier and was a 1962 graduate of Montpelier High School. After graduation she attended Idaho State College for one year then continued her education at Brigham Young University where she received her Bachelors Degree in Education. Later she earned her Masters Degree from the University of Utah.
Her teaching career was spent in Salt Lake City's Granite District where she taught most of her years at Hillsdale Elementary in West Valley City. During those years she became acquainted with fellow teachers, Sharon Donnelly and Carole Streeter, who became life-long friends and sisters to the family. For many years during the summer vacation from school she worked at girls' camps in New England where she shared her great love of nature and God's creations with the youth.
She retired from teaching in 2005 and returned to Bennington to tenderly care for her elderly mother for the next three years. Following her mother's death she returned to her home in Taylorsville.
Wilma was active in the LDS church, serving in many callings in her ward and stake and was an ordinance worker in the Jordan River Temple for several years. She dearly loved the members of the Bennion Heights Ward and the Primary children she was currently teaching.
She enjoyed gardening, traveling, skiing, writing and painting and was an avid runner for many years, finishing many marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 1984. In recent years she traveled to several places including China and Africa and was planning a trip to Australia in November.
Friends were important to Wilma as was evidenced by the vast number of visitors who came to her bedside when she became ill.
Wilma was blessed with 56 nephews and nieces who all adored her. She played a major role in each of their lives and seldom missed one of their special events. Each one of them considers her their second mother. Her life was one of continual service and love.
Besides her parents, Wilma was preceded in death by two sisters, Karen (Russell) Miller of Riverdale, Utah and Louise (Ron) Reed of Bennington; one brother, Timothy (Marilyn) Crane of Bennington and two nephews, Kacey Crane of Grace and John Dayton of Bennington.
She is survived by three sisters, Eve (Mark) Dayton of Bennington, Virginia (Wayne) Swensen of Orem, Norene (Dan) Price of Burley; three brothers, Melvin (Dorothy) Crane of Bennington, McKay, (Susie) Crane of Bennington and Laurence (Linda) Crane of Overland Park, Kan.
Funeral services were held May 25,2013 at the Bennington LDS Ward chapel
A memorial service was held May 26, 2013 at the Bennion Heights LDS Ward building, 3550 W. 5620 S., Taylorsville, Utah.
Burial was in the Bennington Cemetery.