Vernon W. Crane Jr., age 86 of Long Lake, previously of Mound, MN, passed away on March 2, 2025. Preceded in death by wife Mary, parents Vernon Sr. and Genevieve; survived by children Debra (Greg Lance), Diann (John Malotky) and Tim; grandchildren Megan and Nicole Malotky; sister Peggy (Bill Warner) and numerous family and friends. Vern, a 1956 graduate of Roosevelt High School, married Mary Virnig in 1958 in Minneapolis. They were blessed with three children and raised their family in Mound where summers were spent swimming at the Surfside beach, ice skating and fishing from the shores of Lake Minnetonka.
Vern loved vacationing in northern Minnesota at both the Virnig cabin and Crane cabin which Vern and Mary purchased in 1989. Vern had a love of fishing and he and Mary would venture north to fish, hunt or take long drives through the woods. Vern retired in 1999, having worked as a quality control manager at various manufacturing plants in the Twin Cities. Upon retirement Vern picked up the guitar, once again, and began a serious love of jam sessions and performances at Creekside Center in Bloomington and the Gillespie Center in Mound. He frequently played for his friends at Orono Woods. He was a talented singer and musician and love to pick a few old time country music or Johnny Cash tunes.
The funeral will be held at Our Lady of the Lake on March 13, 2025, at 11:00am. Visitation will be one our prior, at 10:00am.