William Bradford Crane Jr.

16 hours ago

Beloved retired Napa High Band director, William “Bill” Bradford Crane Jr., passed away on Saturday morning, August 22, 2015. He was born December 6, 1927 in Boston, Massachusetts to William and Harriet Crane. He moved to Ferndale, California in 1933 where his father was a music teacher. He enlisted in the Navy in 1945, serving in both WWII and Korean War on the USS Iowa. In 1949 he married his Ferndale sweetheart and the love of his life, Wilmoth Gillespie. He received his BA degree at Humboldt State and his Master’s degree at Teacher’s College at Columbia University in New York City.

In 1954, he and his family moved to Napa, where he taught at Redwood Junior High, Napa High, and Napa Junior College. He taught many subjects, but his greatest passion was music. His style was “to teach a lot more than just music,” he taught life skills. He and Wilmy took many trips with the band to Europe and throughout the country, happily working together as a team. He retired in 1993 after 39 years of teaching in Napa Valley Unified Schools.

Here are a few of his accomplishments that lead to his legacy: Bill was a member of the Napa Valley Symphony, where he played violin and French horn, and participated in the First United Methodist Church choir and bell choir. He was also a member and president of the California Band Directors Association and received many honors, including Director Life Time Achievement Award, Napa County Man of the Year, and Napa High Teacher of the Year.

He loved the outdoors, including bicycling, gardening, hiking and trail blazing the Westwood hills, horseback riding, cross country skiing in Montana, trips to Alaska and Antarctica, and taking camping trips with his family.

Bill will be greatly missed by his brother and sister, Frank and Alice and their spouses June and Joe; his children, Terry Crane McDonald and husband Clay, Pamela Crane, Ginger Crane Faust and husband Bill, Nancy Crane, Lisa Crane; grandchildren Marriah, Noelle, Jessica, Kendall, Adam; and many great and great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his adoring wife, Wilmy in 1986 and his son William “Brad” Bradford Crane III in 2009.

He was a long time member of the first United Methodist Church. Services will be held at their temporary home, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1105 G Street, Napa on Sunday, August 30 at 3:00 pm.

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08/25/15 05:03 PM

Michael Bergren

Mr. Crain was the best and formost teacher I ever had. I alwasy was happty to see him on many visit to Moreal stadium,as I work as a High School Football Official. He will ALWAYS live on in memory for me, Napa Senior High School, all Napa High Bander Membesr and those who love music. " the beatl go on" in is loving memory .

08/25/15 09:53 PM

Walter Mikolajcik

Bill did have a special way he smiled and talked always treating you as if you were a friend rather than a student I have so many memories of Bill…The band still had events that were part of the 50's like "The Band Sweetheart Dance" and the "Band Christmas Party" where you picked a name out of a hat and gave the person a josh gift. I got Mr Crane's name and I took a trumpet mouthpiece and cut it in half lengthwise and in the card I wrote "for half notes" he laughed that extraordinary laugh he had when he read the card. My first teaching job was to take over the Napa High band for the fall semester when Bill fell off his roof in the 70's, when I opened the drawer of his office desk the mouthpiece was still there. Bill always showed up at anything I performed in during the years and the 10 years i was the principal trumpet player in the Napa Symphony a mystery person paid my salary …it was Bill. At the end of our senior year Bill made up a “special” award for me, because he could not in good conscience give me the “model band member award”. In the 90’s I went to a Napa/Armijo football game and I looked across the field and could not believe it Bill was there with the Napa Band. I also remember seeing the Napa Band marching down the street in downtown Napa for a Halloween parade in the late 80’s and there was Bill walking next to band as always but wearing a red clown nose. I saw him when I played for the opening of the new theater at Napa College just a few years ago and he had not changed a bit. He told me on hot days in the late afternoons he used to look in my trumpet case to see if there might be a cold beer inside. He also told me he had achieved one of his life-long dreams of playing Clark’s virtuoso piece “Stars in a Velvety Sky” for solo cornet and band just a few years before. He will be missed by everyone who ever knew him, thanks Bill for the inspiration that made me want to be a music teacher and band director.

08/26/15 12:36 PM

Terry Simpkins

Bill Crane had a huge impact on me as he did everyone he taught. He not only was a master band director, but he also instructed us on life skills.

I had the opportunity to give back to Bill in the 80's when along with my good friend, Rick Arata we were able to have Bill as the Grand Marsshall of the Native Sons of the Golden West annual parade. Several of his former students marched and played in tribute to the true "Leader of the Band"

In his late years I would see him at Browns Valley Market, he didn't always remember my name but he always remembered the instrument I played.

Thanks Bill for everything you did for all of us!!!!

08/26/15 01:28 PM

Pamela Thompson (Jewett)

Everyone has a special teacher from their school days and Bill Crane is special to me. Not only for his patience with the practical joker band majorettes (sorry Bill Smith!) but for his enthusiasm for his students. Ever the musician, always a mentor. Well done Mr. Crane. You are loved and will be missed.

08/28/15 05:49 PM

Jerry Foster

Mr. Crane was an icon. It is hard to believe we lost him as he just always seemed to be there. I had been in the band since I was in 4th grade and when I moved to Napa in my Junior year I met Mr. Crane. I think my best and most friendly time was with the Band members and him. I dont know if we were the class to remember but we were a bunch of chracters but Bill seemed to go with the flow. It is sad to see him go but he left a legend and band members that were definitely influenced by him. I still have my trumpet and didnt become a music teacher like Walt but I still enjoy playing the old school fight song and some of the great music we used to play. Its just some of those memories that make you feel good. I love music and dance and I think that Mr. Crane played a large part of that in my life. He will be missed.

08/28/15 06:17 PM

Kay Lantow

Indeed, an icon and a great teacher. Sorry I never stayed in touch after leaving Napa. My fondest memory is his encouraging me to play the baritone saxophone in the marching band. What a sight that must have been.

08/28/15 07:26 PM

Michael Bergren

Just a after thought (2, 3, up down)

Wish I could be in NAPA @ 3pm SUNDAY, my HEART will be their if not in body.

08/30/15 08:57 AM

Loren Vanderschoot

Bill Crane will always be remembered by Pam and I. It seems when ever the drum section was going to play his baton would point to us and we were not there. He just said where are they now. He never got mad. We will miss him.

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