Harry Wilson Crandall

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Husband, father, grandfather, Episcopal priest, mentor, leader, U.S. Army officer, humanitarian, tireless volunteer, and a friend to all, the Rev. Harry Wilson Crandall was born March 30, 1932, on Great Diamond Island, in Casco Bay, Portland, Maine, and died Tuesday, May 14, 2019, after a brief illness. He was 87. 

Rev. Crandall is predeceased by his parents, Major General Harry Wells and Mrs. Ada Elizabeth Wilson Crandall and his brother, Steven Charles Crandall. He is survived by his sister, Nancy Crandall Maddocks; his loving wife, Catherine Frasier “Kitty Dee” Dishman; his children, Catherine Furr “Kate” Crandall Hedderich and her spouse, Scott Raymond, and Michael Wilson Crandall and his spouse, Katherine Kaye “Kathy” Anderson; and grandchildren, Catherine Laura “Kitty” Hedderich, Wilson Raymond “Wil” Hedderich, William Wells Crandall and Cortland Kaye Crandall.

Rev. Crandall was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, by President Harry S. Truman. He graduated with the class of 1956. His military career was as varied as it was successful. It included a tour in Korea and Vietnam, the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Sill, Okla., two assignments to the Persian Nuclear Weapons System, and nuclear affairs advisor to the Secretary of Defense. Among his many awards, he received the Legion of Honor membership in the Chapel of the Four Chaplains. His last assignment was chief of concepts in the Combined Arms Command at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He retired from the military in 1980.

He enrolled in the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. Rev. Crandall excelled in school – a nontraditional student to be sure, but one whose unique background and training led him to be elected class president for three years. He received the Wood’s Leadership Award in the spring of his freshman year in 1981.

Late in life, Rev. Crandall would say that his career was in sales, and that he always strived to steer clear of getting on management’s bad side. It turned out management must have liked what he was doing and was impressed enough to give him a promotion to above. While Rev. Crandall will be dearly missed, we know he is rolling up his sleeves and is hard at work on the next chapter of his career in heaven. “Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven.”  Luke 6:23.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m, Saturday, June 22, 2019, at Hungars Episcopal Church, 10107 Bayside Road, Bridgetown, Va. Interment will be at a later date at Ebenezer Cemetery near Bluemont, Va., in Loudon County.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eastern Shore Community College Foundation, 29300 Lankford Highway, Melfa, VA 23410; the Eastern Shore Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 1299, Exmore, VA 23350; or Hungars Cure Parish, P.O. Box 367, Eastville, VA 23347.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com

Arrangements were made by Doughty Funeral Home in Exmore.

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