PORT CLYDE – John Joseph Crane, IV, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 28, 2018. John was 56 years old, just shy of his 57th birthday. John was born on August 5, 1961, to parents John J. Crane, III, and Arlene Cushman Crane, in Rockland, Maine. His passing is felt deeply within the Port Clyde and Waldoboro communities, and among the many who knew him. He was loved by so, so many family and friends.

 

John lived his whole life between the fishing village of Port Clyde and the family property in Waldoboro. In his early fishing career he fished for herring and shrimp with Freddie Stimpson on board the “F/V Diane & James, out of Port Clyde.

 

He was also part of the rescue crew on the Diane & James the night the Diane & James loaded the sardine carrier with herring, and the sardine carrier Delca sank.

 

He was a lobsterman, beginning when he was just 10 years old. He and his brother, Troy, could be seen in their outboard hauling lobster pots, and later on fishing together on F/V Tracy Lynn, the boat they purchased from their father, John III.

 

John bought out Troy’s share of the boat and continued to fish the Tracy Lynn until he bought his grandfather’s boat, F/V Moby Dick in April 1991, the day John and Tami brought their newborn son home. John was also an urchin tender for his brother, Troy, when Troy was diving for urchins.

 

John fished F/V Moby Dick right up to the day of his passing. He was so proud of the makeover that he recently had done to the boat, allowing him to continue fishing the 1965 Jonesport lobster boat that had been his Grandpa Shannon’s boat.

 

John was a “Teddy Bear” with a fisherman’s drawl. He loved the many, many hugs that were all so often given to him. It meant the world to him when given a firm handshake and a pat on the back. He was shy to new people he met, but he quickly became a friend, and you were awarded his dry sense of humor, his contagious smile, or his spontaneous burst of serenading, whether yodeling, singing “Butterfly Kisses”, rock-n-roll, or a country song.

 

John was an avid Red Sox Baseball fan. He loved camping on Duck Puddle Pond in Waldoboro, deer hunting with family and friends, coyote and rabbit hunting with his dogs.

 

 John had a big heart and loved strongly. He knew in 1989 he found his one and only love, Tami, with whom he shared 28 years of marriage. Their love was blessed with a son, John, whom he loved beyond words. He felt proud to teach his son how to be a lobster fisherman. As a family they shared many adventures together, whether camping, fishing, family gatherings, trips to Florida, or the long awaited family trip to Fenway Park to watch Papi’s last days.

 

John was predeceased by his grandparents, Madelene and Frank Cirella, Grandfather Shannon Cushman, Sr., great grandparents Madoline and Willis Spear; Great Grandfather Hudson “Huddy” Eugley, uncles Willis “Ritchie” Cushman, Shannon “Lee” Cushman, Jr., and Aunt Priscilla Cushman Patterson; Father-in-law Bradley Bryant; and Stepfather Winslow Miller.

 

John is survived by his wife, Tami Bryant Crane, and son, John J. Crane, V, of Port Clyde; his father, John J. Crane, III, and stepmother, Sylvia, of Port Clyde; his mother, Arlene Cushman Crane and her companion, Ray Scarborough, of Martinsville and North Carolina; his brother, Troy H. Crane, and wife, Rebecca, of Port Clyde; his sister, Tracy Crane Chipman, and companion, Carl Chipman, of Thomaston; Grandmother Eva Spear Cushman, 93, of Port Clyde; Uncle George Crane, of Florida; Great Aunt Marion Griffin, 98, of Waldoboro; Mother-and Father-in-law Verona and Robert Steinmeyer, of Washington; a brother-in-law, Forrest Bryant, and wife, Kristy, of Jefferson; his sister-in-law, Heather Bryant Kirkland, and husband, Shep, of Jefferson; nieces and nephews Melissa Chong Hopkins, and husband, Shaun, Sr., of Martinsville; Jessica Crane and her companion, Dillon Reed, of Friendship; Troy A. Crane and his companion, Judy, of Bangor; C.J. Chipman, of Thomaston; Lucas and Sadie Bryant, and Gavin and Leah Kirkland, of Jefferson; many aunts, uncles, close cousins, extended family and many, many life time friends.

 

 A time of visitation will be held on Saturday, August 4, from 5-8 p.m. at Hall’s of Waldoboro, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.

 

Funeral services for John will be held on Sunday, August 5, 2018, at 3 p.m. at the Tenants Harbor Baptist Church, Walston Road, Tenants Harbor.

 

Immediately following the service, burial for John will be held at the Ridge Cemetery, Tenants Harbor. A reception to Celebrate John’s life will follow at the Black Harpoon, 202 Drift Inn Rd., Port Clyde, for all family and friends.

 

The family requests that donations be made in John’s memory to the Pope Memorial Humane Society, 25 Buttermilk Lane, Thomaston, ME 04861, Or to the Fishermen’s Memorial Fund, for the benefit of John Crane, IV, C/O Rosemary Cushman, P.O. Box 217, Port Clyde, ME 04855.

 

 Hall’s of Thomaston has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences please visit www.HallFuneralHomes.com.