[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2125-E2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      HONORING BERT STEPHEN CRANE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF DENHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 29, 2011

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the 
life of a beloved leader in the Merced community, Bert Stephen Crane, 
on his 80th birthday. Bert was born in the heart of the San Joaquin 
Valley's fertile lands of California on November 29, 1931. He is the 
fifth generation of California farmers and ranchers that came from 
Connecticut during the Gold Rush of 1849. His ancestors can be traced 
to John Alden of the Mayflower landing in Plymouth. A true son of this 
great country.
  Growing up on the cattle ranch he learned that the day starts in the 
saddle before dawn, and it doesn't end until all the work is done and 
the horses are grained and rubbed down. A cattle sale has always been 
done with an honest handshake.
  Bert loves music and was the Drum Major in the Merced High School 
Band, and played basketball. At Menlo College, Bert enjoyed roping and 
polo. He later studied at Stanford University and U.C. Davis, where he 
achieved his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics. During 
these years, he fell in love with a young gal, Nancy Magnuson, who was 
studying at Stanford University. They married in 1957, raised three 
children and have been married for over 54 years.
  Bert's life has been a great and wonderful adventure. His leadership 
skills have extended from achieving his Eagle Scout as a young man, to 
the highly coveted Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, which is a 
recognition award of outstanding service to scouting and the community 
awarded at the National Scouting level. He has ridden horses with 
Ronald Reagan, coached Little League and shipped his Registered Red 
Angus bulls to Europe and Hawaii. He diversified from the beef business 
in the early 1970s and started farming walnuts as well. Eventually, he 
built a walnut processing plant with his wife, Nancy and three 
children, Bert, Mary and Karen. His children and seven grandchildren 
are following the tradition of ranching and farming.
  Bert's step-father was James Parker, M.D., a third generation family 
doctor. James' love for the outdoors was a natural match for Bert, as 
they enjoyed fishing and duck hunting out on the family's Sunrise 
Ranch. Bert has always had fond memories of loading up horses, and 
packing into Hetch Hetchy reservoir, and Davis Lake for trail riding 
and trout fishing together.
  His passion for quality healthcare was learned through his 
stepfather. Bert has served and led fundraising events for Mercy 
Hospital for over 36 years and spearheaded the building of the Mercy 
Cancer Center, and a new state-of-the-art Mercy Hospital in Merced. 
Bert's wife, Nancy, was the founding president of the Mercy Hospital 
Volunteers and has served for over 40 years.
  In 1986, Bert was honored by the University of California, Davis 
Alumni with the Distinguished Achievement Award for his involvement in 
research in the University's agriculture and governmental programs, 
along with his community and industry associations.
  His service to his community, agriculture and research is one of 
great respect and integrity. Bert served on the Merced County Planning 
Commission for 28 years. All of this would not have been possible 
without the work of his loving wife, Nancy, in keeping the home fires 
burning and taking care of the children while supporting his passion 
for service to others.


                         Reminiscing With Bert

  The year was 1943. The place was the Sunrise Ranch of local pioneer 
C.A. ``Bert'' Crane, located just off the old Gustine Highway. A young 
cowboy was growing up on this ranch; he was named Bert, after his 
grandfather. Well, all ranches have dogs and this was no exception. One 
of Bert's chores was to feed the dogs.
  To digress a moment, Grandfather Bert had a best friend, Bill Moffat, 
of Manteca Beef fame. One of Moffat's employees named Scotty Allen, 
convinced him that it would be good business to use the scraps from the 
beef plant to make dog food. The result: Scotty Allen dog food. To 
promote the sale of this product, the cans were wrapped with coupons . 
. . . Being loyal friends, the Cranes served up nothing but Scotty 
Allen. As young Bert fed the dogs he fastidiously peeled the coupons 
off the cans and sent for the catalog of prizes. When the catalog 
arrived, Bert searched the pages and finally selected his prize: a 
fabulous crook-neck Boy Scout flashlight. Mother Crane cautioned that 
Boy Scout flashlights are for Boy Scouts. This saddened Bert, for the 
chances of becoming a Scout out there ``in the boonies'' were remote. 
However, after some soul-searching he sent for the flashlight.
  Soon after, Bert and his family moved to town. Bert packed up his 
flashlight, and the family settled across the street from Applegate 
Park. As good luck would have it, there in the park stood the log cabin 
Boy Scout hut. Bert quickly joined the Scouts and legalized his 
flashlight. Bert was twelve; his Scout troop was #101; the leader was 
Scotty Langley. Langley became Bert's mentor and guided him along the 
journey to the coveted Eagle Scout Award. His first merit badge was for 
Horsemanship; his second badge was for Steer Production, and he could 
tie more knots than the Scout handbook. Three years running Bert won 
the Merced-Mariposa Trail Ride, Junior Division.
  Bert was a member of Rancheros Visitadores and enjoyed going on the 
week long trail ride with friends and politicians in the Santa Ynez 
Valley. One of his friends was the late Governor of California and 
United States President, Ronald Reagan. Bert was visiting with the then 
past Governor and seized the opportunity to take a rope off of a saddle 
and ``lasso'' Reagan in the outhouse. Reagan thought that Bert was 
going to flip over the outhouse. Reagan opened the door a couple of 
inches and worked the knot out of the rope and undid the knot. Reagan 
came out laughing, stating ``You know Bert, I've been in tighter places 
than that.''
  The following is a list of his service and awards:
  Member of Central Presbyterian Church
  Bank of America Advisory Board 1957-1969
  Bank of America Plan to Prosper Comm. 1967-1968
  Bank of America Livestock Symposium 1969-1970
  Merced Land Bank Assoc. 1980-1988
  Merced County Land Bank Assoc. 1984-1988
  Diamond Walnuts Top Twenty Service Walnut Grower 1983
  Speaker at U. C. Davis 1973, Livestock
  Speaker at Fresno 1985, Livestock
  Speaker at U.C. Davis 1987, Livestock
  U.C. Davis Alumni Achievement Award 1986
  Merced City-County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Livestock Produced 
for the year 1976
  California Farm Bureau Member
  California Cattlemen's Assoc. 1954-1988 Research Comm. 1968-1970
  California Cattlemen's Assoc. Farm Credit Policy Comm. 1984-1988
  California Cattlemen's Assoc. Land Use Comm. 1984-1988
  Merced-Mariposa Cattlemen's Assoc. 1954-1988, Director 1964
  American Quarter Horse Assoc. 1954-1988
  American Simmental Assoc. 1969-1970
  National American Cattlemen's Assoc. 1970-1988
  Beef Health Conference Comm. Davis, California 1968
  Livestock Research Advisory Board, Davis, California 1970
  Pacific Slope Red Angus Association
  California Beef Cattle Improvement Assoc. 1965-1988, President 1978-
1980, Director 1966-1970
  Rancheros Visitadores Member 1978-1988
  Beef Improvement Federation
  Commendation for Excellence for Feed Stock Breeder 1974
  Cattlemen's Expo Member of Formation Comm. Representing Red Angus 
1968
  Red Angus Association 1951-1988:
  Registration Comm. Chairman 1964-1968
  Board of Directors 1962-1971
  President of Assoc. 1969-1971
  Top Hand Award 1972
  Red Angus Assoc. of America Pioneer Breeder Award 1988
  Little League Baseball Coach, 1970
  Weaver Union School District Board 1966-1970:
  Clerk 1968
  Vice President 1970
  Merced County Planning Comm. 1964-1988, Chairman 1966--1967
  Merced County District #1 Alternate Supervisor 1966-1970
  Lone Tree Soil Conservation District:
  Director 1957-1986
  President 1957-1962
  Secretary 1976-87
  Eagle Scout Award, 1946
  Boy Scouts of America Comm. Member 1969-1970
  Boy Scouts Yosemite Area Council Century Club 1978-1988
  Central Presbyterian Church 1945-1988 Usher Comm.
  Mercy Hospital Lay Advisory Board 1969-1984
  Mercy Hospital Foundation Board 1984-1987, Vice Chairman 1985
  Mercy Hospital Governing Board 1987-2005
  Mercy Hospital Charriada Fiesta Benefit 1985 Host & Co-Chairman
  Distinguished Eagle Scout Award 1988
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Bert Stephen Crane for his 
unwavering leadership, and recognizing his accomplishments and 
contribution. Bert serves as an example of excellence to those in our 
community.

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