Doris Crane Obituary

Doris Leah Kaser Crane Jan 21, 1930 – June 30, 2025
Doris Leah Kaser was born on January 21, 1930 in Billings Montana, the only child of Fred and Henrietta Kaser. Her life is testimony to her love of people, music and art. From the age of two until she left for college, Doris lived with her parents in a house on Lewis Avenue in Billings, which her father had designed. As a young child, she developed a deep love for music. She loved to sing and studied piano from an early age, quickly becoming proficient at solo playing and accompanying. In junior high and high school, Doris was involved in music and theater productions, playing principal roles and accompanying productions, as well working on the school newspaper. She graduated from Billings High School in 1948, earning the Sweetbriar Scholarship for college study. Doris attended the Eastern Montana Normal School, which subsequently became the Eastern Montana College of Education, from 1948-1949. There she was on the Honor Roll, a member of the Student Union Board, and a member of the Katoya Players. She was inducted into Delta Psi Omega, a national honorary dramatic fraternity, in 1949 and participated in a small group of students that presented music, chemistry and drama to local high schools. After completing studies at Eastern Montana College of Education, Doris moved to McMinnville, Oregon, attending Linfield College to pursue training in Education. She pledged to Lambda Lambda Sigma, a local social sorority, and was an active member of the Delta Psi Omega and Mu Phi Epsilon, a national music sorority. During her Senior year, she served as a counselor of Freshman Women and became a member of The Cap and Gown, the Senior women's honorary society. She graduated in 1952 with a BA in Literature and Music. While at Linfield, Doris continued active participation in music, and one evening was escorted home from choir rehearsal by a Mr. Melvin Crane. It turned out that they had likely met in their very early years when their fathers were both teachers at Billings High School. A romance developed and Doris and Mel were married on July 19, 1952 in the First Baptist Church of Billings, MT. They moved to Berkley, CA where Doris taught high school English while Mel attended seminary. Mel's first parish was in the hills above Berkley in Chester, CA where their first two children, Diana and Alan, were born. Two more children, Louise and Celia, were born in their next parish in Winner, SD. When her youngest child started school, Doris went back to teaching. She taught middle and high school English for several years, and each of her children got to have her as a teacher. She was an excellent teacher, following the curriculum but also incorporating 'free writing' where students could express themselves without being 'graded.' She also organized forensics competitions for the students to give them practice in memorization and public speaking. She had a strict detention policy: for every minute a student disrupted the class, the disruptor served detention equaling a minute times the number of students in the class, as that was the number of education minutes they had disrupted. However, in detention, she did not berate the student but explained to them that they were cheating themselves and the other children in the class, and gave them useful chores to do for the length of the detention. Doris continued to play piano and loved to accompany her family as they sang around the piano at home. She also gave piano lessons to local children and adults, bartering piano lessons for art lessons with a local artist in Wisconsin. Recently, people she taught as children have relayed how encouraging she was during their piano lessons. Doris also directed church choirs, musicals at a local junior high and also at the church, and occasionally played organ for church services. Doris loved to travel. Summer vacations were often spent visiting her parents in Billings and the National Parks in the area, spending a week at Camp Judson in the Black Hills of SD, at the American Baptist Assembly Grounds at Green Lake, WI, or camping in Upper Michigan. When the children were sufficiently grown, Doris and Mel enjoyed traveling to England to participate in the Canterbury Ecumenical Theological Summer School. In later years, they took two trips to Israel to participate in archeologic digs, the first to Tantur in Jerusalem as part of the The Ecumenical Institute for Theological Research, and the second at Ashkelon. During one of those experiences, Doris was lovingly given the "Cracked Pot Award" by her fellow dig mates. When the family moved to Kansas in 1975, health issues kept Doris from continuing her teaching career. Not to be kept down, Doris substitute taught in the local school system, became involved in the American Baptist Women's organization, directed the church choir, taught ESL classes at Friends University and took painting classes at the local community center. She welcomed her granddaughters and grandson and loved reading to them and encouraging their play. She and Mel continued to travel around the country, taking advantage of visiting friends and family wherever they went. When they moved to Prairie Homestead in 2004, Doris joined the Chime Choir, volunteered in the gift shop, and played piano for the Vespers services. She loved meeting new people and getting together with friends in the community to walk and visit, and they were often part of a large table of friends eating together in the dining room. Doris' love of people and music were evident to the very end. As her health dwindled and she moved to Homestead Health Center, she brightened whenever people interacted with her and often teased and joked with them. She would 'direct' music she knew and sang along with songs she had known as a child. She treasured visits from her family, loved hugs and kisses, and gave them freely.
She left her earthly life on Monday, June 30, 2025. She is survived by her children Diana Webster (Marc), Alan Crane (Joyce), Louise Williams (Don) and Celia Bradley (Terry); by eight grandchildren: Alaina Webster, Christa Morrison, Erica Webster, Monica Bernhard, Kathryn Henderson, Kristin Williams, Emily LaBranche and Alexander LaBranche; and by three great-grandchildren: Madeline Webster-Stoppel, Gabrielle Webster-Stoppel, and Maddox Morrison. She was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Melvin.
A Celebration of Life service for both Doris and Melvin will be held on Saturday, July 26 at 2pm in the chapel at Prairie Homestead, 1605 W May St., Wichita, KS 67213. In lieu of flowers, tax-deductible memorials may be made in Doris' name to Homestead Health Center, 2133 S Elizabeth Street, Wichita, KS 67213.
We miss you Doris, Mom, Gramma, Great Grandma! We imagine you assembling and directing choirs in your new life! To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Doris, please visit our floral store.