Nancy Cranmer
(July 23,1933 -April 10,2016)
Nancy Jean Brinker Cranmer of Fort Collins, Colorado passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, April 10, 2016 after a nine-month battle with cancer. Nancy was born at home to Robert Carl Brinker and Myra Thelma Shearer Brinker on a hot Sunday, July 23, 1933 in Columbus, Ohio during the Great Depression. She was the oldest of three girls. Nancy lived in Columbus until the family moved to the small community of Worthington, Ohio when she was 7 years old The family then moved to Southern California when Nancy was in high school before finally settling in Palo Alto, California where she graduated from high school in 1951. Nancy attended California State University, San Jose, and became a registered nurse. In 1954 she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to continue her nursing education at the University of Utah. Nancy met Jim Burr Cranmer there and the couple was married on August 12, 1955. Jim graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1958. The couple moved to Grass Valley, California the day after Jim’s graduation where they lived for more than four decades Nancy and Jim had two children – James Arthur Cranmer, born November 8, 1957 in Salt Lake City, Utah and Ann Marie Cranmer Gauntlett, born November 29, 1959 in Grass Valley, California. Nancy was primarily a homemaker, a job that she dearly loved. She worked for two doctors in Salt Lake City while Jim was in school but concentrated on her family once Jim graduated and the family moved to Grass Valley. Jim eventually started his own engineering business, Cranmer Engineering, Inc., there and managed that business up until his retirement in 2003. Nancy was an avid tennis player, enjoyed hiking the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her group of friends in California, and loved to garden Nancy kept her nursing license current and, once her children left home, volunteered for over 6 years as a nurse for Hospice of the Foothills For several years Nancy taught both human and pet CPR as a volunteer for the American Red Cross. Additionally, she and Jim raised Arabian horses and traveled extensively. After Jim retired, Nancy and Jim moved to Malad City, Idaho where they built a farmhouse on acreage. They continued to raise horses and enjoyed farming hay The couple made many wonderful friends in the Malad Valley and very much enjoyed the small farming community. Nancy and Jim moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to live with their daughter, Annie, in October 2015 once Nancy’s health started to fail. Nancy was always a very happy person and touched the lives of those around her She loved with all of her heart and tried her best at everything she did. Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Thel. She is survived by her husband of over 60 years, Jim of Fort Collins, CO, her son James (Laura) of Cheyenne, WY, her daughter Ann Gauntlett (Noel) of Fort Collins, CO, two granddaughters Katie Anne Cranmer Vamey (Eli) and Emily Gean Cranmer Asbury (Alex), both of Colorado Springs, CO, and her two sisters Virginia Diane Brinker Chapman (William) of Palo Alto, CA and Katherine Elaine Brinker Allen (Yater) of Malad City, Idaho. Nancy’s request was that no funeral service be held The family will have a private memorial at a time to be determined either this spring or summer Donations can be made to the Cancer Center of the Rockies, Larimer County Humane Society or the family will accept flowers and plants in Nancy’s honor.