CRANE, JR., ESQ. (USAF), 73 DOVER - Retired Colonel John Murdoch Crane, Jr., Esq. (U.S. Air Force) died Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Born April 10, 1939, in New York City, N.Y. the son of the late John Murdoch Crane, Esq. and Helen Elizabeth Daly, where he graduated from Rice Memorial High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science and a Juris Doctor degree from St. John's University, N.Y. in 1960 and 1963 respectively, and a Master of Laws degree in Government Procurement Law in 1971, from George Washington University, Washington D.C. He was also a graduate of the Defense Language Institute (Turkish) Monterrey, Calif.; Air Command and Staff College; Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Air War College. Col. Crane, a member of the New York Bar, entered the Judge Advocate General Corps in 1964. His tours of duty included Stewart AFB, N.Y.; Istanbul, Turkey; Scott AFB, Ill.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Hanscom AFB, Mass. He also served as legal advisor to the Director, Office of Special projects (OSAF) at Los Angeles AFS, Calif. and as the General Counsel for the Army – Air Force Exchange Service in the Pacific (AAFES-PAC) Honolulu, Hawaii. His military decorations include three Air Force Commendation Medals; three Meritorious Service Medals and The Legion of Merit. Col. Crane retired from the Air Force in 1984, and joined the legal department at Hercules Incorporated, Wilmington, Del. He held a number of positions including: Chief Counsel Government Contracts; Director Policy and Law; and General Counsel, Hercules Aerospace Company. In 1995, the Hercules Aerospace Company was sold to Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Hopkins, Minn. at which time he became an Assistant General Counsel for Alliant and the General Counsel for the Alliant Aerospace Systems Group. He retired from Alliant in 2000, as Acting Director, Office of the General Counsel. He also served as the Corporate Ethics Officer and Compliance Officer. Col. Crane was a former member of Teamsters Union Local 757; life member of the VFW; and a member of the American Legion; the Air Force Retired Judge Advocate Association; Central Delaware Civil War Round Table; Air Force Association; Dover Elks Lodge 1903, and Ducks Unlimited. He served as a past Chairman of the 32nd Republican District. He was a Chevalier, Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knight of Malta, and subsequently a Paladin of The Royal Military and Hospital Order of St. John, the Forerunner of The Crown of Gevaudan. He held strong religious beliefs. He firmly believed in reincarnation and that God's plan was more complicated than any organized and institutionalized church could comprehend. His interests included genealogy; Celtic music, antique weapons; the Civil War; hunting and fishing. Those who have been to The Honest Lawyer Bar will attest to his appreciation for good bourbon. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Coleen Mary and his beloved and devoted wife of nearly 42 years, Jacqueline Deidra "Dee" Crane nee Burke. Col. Crane is survived by a son, John Murdoch Crane 3rd and daughter-in-law, Constance Marie Crane nee Stevens; a daughter, Kathleen Deidra Greene and son-in-law, Howard Greene; a granddaughter, Shannon Marie Crane; a sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Mike Kosmas of Beaverton, Ore.; a brother and sister-in-law, CMSgt (USAFR Ret.) David and Cindy Burke; a step mother-in-law, Charlotte Burke; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, June 25, 2012, at the Pippin Funeral Home, 119 W. Camden-Wyoming Ave., Wyoming. A private burial will be in Barratt's Chapel Cemetery, Frederica, DE. The family requests that donations in his name be sent to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Letters of condolences can be sent via www.pippinfuneralhome.com.