John Cranston

John H. Cranston, 94, of Colby, Kansas, passed away on Monday, December 9, 2019 at Citizens Medical Center in Colby, Kansas. He was born on November 7, 1925 in rural Bazine, Kansas during a snow storm. He always told people it took three days for the doctor to make it through the snow to their rural farm.

He was the son of Thomas & Elva (Delaney) Cranston. He attended a small one room school in rural Ness County, Kansas from 1st through 8th grade. John graduated from Bazine High School in 1943 & enlisted in the United States Army in 1944. After his military service he moved to California & became a journeyman machinist with the Caterpillar Company. There in the San Francisco bay area he met his future wife Marjorie.

On May 20, 1950 he married Marjorie Blanc in Reno, Nevada. They were blessed with two daughters, Deborah & Linda.

In 1959 John moved back to Kansas where he started his own custom harvesting business. After 35 years as a custom harvester he decided to retire from his custom harvesting route. However, custom harvest for people close to home, farm for relatives, mechanic, raise cattle & drive cattle trucks for many years thereafter. John did not like to be idle for long. He always had something that needed fixed or mended on his small farm by Levant, KS. He named his little farm “Oleo Acres” which when asked about the name he would explain that he chose that name because it was a “cheaper spread”.

After his wife passed away in 2004, his constant companion for the last 14 years has been his little dog Sally. They went everywhere together. John & Sally enjoyed their weekly trips to the Colby Sale Barn to watch the livestock sell & talk to everyone there. They also enjoyed their weekly trips to the grocery store, Orscheln’s & Palace Drug Store as well as other businesses in Colby.

John enjoyed visits from his eight grandchildren & great grandchildren. He had a basket of toys that the younger great grandchildren would drag out & play with each time they came to visit. He always had a dish of candy to share with them as well. He enjoyed humorous greeting cards from his grandchildren & would proudly display them near his recliner for all to see.

John was preceded in death by his parents; wife Marjorie; brothers Harold, Rex & Lester & sister Evelyn Duncan.

He is survived by his two daughters Deborah (Richard) Robinson, of Hill City, KS; Linda (David) Pabst, of Colby, KS, sister, Ruth Cranston, San Pablo, CA; Sister-in-law Shirley Cranston, Colby his eight grandchildren: Melissa (Todd) Stramel, Colby, KS; Christy (Richard) Acheson, Windsor, CO; Ryan (Amy) Robinson, Lindsborg, KS; Julie (Mike) Zybko, Shawnee, KS; Kyle (Kendra) Robinson, Asheville, NC; Wyatt (Baley) Robinson, Kansas City, MO; Marie (Brad) Skolout, Levant, KS & Karen(Toby) George, Haslet, TX & twenty great-grandchildren.

Visitation is from 5-7:00 PM Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby, KS. Funeral service is 10:30 AM Friday, December 13, 2019 at the Mortuary with burial in Beulah Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the American Legion, sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com