- Date Of Birth: December 10, 1940
- Date Of Death: September 5, 2015
- State: Michigan
John Mark Crandle, 74, passed away Saturday, September 5, 2015 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. John was born December 10, 1940 in Grand Haven, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Hazel (Faust) Crandle. A graduate of Grand Haven High School in 1958, John attended Grand Rapids Baptist College, where he met his bride of 55 years, Bonnie (Hummel), and started a family before earning his degree in Elementary Education at Western Michigan University (BA ’67). Although he went on to complete his student teaching requirement, he became a pioneer in the computer and management information systems industry, working first for IBM and then embarking on a career that saw him implement and manage the information systems for several companies, ranging from small family owned businesses to large publicly-traded concerns. He retired from Alvan Motor Freight as Director of MIS but continued to fuel his desire for learning as a substitute teacher at Heritage Christian Academy and as a Sunday school teacher at Berean Baptist Church.
John was the consummate punster, never passing up a chance to relay a joke or crack a smile (no matter how painful). He enjoyed boating, spending many a day as a boy and a man in Grand Haven on his beloved Grand River and Lake Michigan. He also enjoyed camping, especially his annual trek to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to visit Gitche Gumee Bible Camp. He later graduated to world traveler due in part to hosting two foreign exchange students in his hometown of Portage, Michigan – Maryne Mulliez-Cayuela from France and John Byrne from Australia – when he and Bonnie were able to attend their weddings and visit their home countries. They also toured Israel in December 2010 as part of their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Additionally, John was an active member of SOWERS (Servants on Wheels Ever Ready), where he and Bonnie joined several other Christian couples in traveling around the United States volunteering at numerous Christian Bible camps, mostly in Alabama, Florida and North Carolina.
John loved and served his Lord Jesus Christ, his entire life and was very active in his home church, Berean Baptist Church, serving as a past Deacon and choir member. He was a committed family man and is survived by wife Bonnie, four children and ten grandchildren: Beth (Jim) Cieslak and children Joel, Katy and Anna; John (Kristen) Crandle and Austin, Madeline and Mallory; Becki (Elvis) Alicea and Anjela, Julia; Joni (Ma’er) Ben-Yisrael and Elorah, Asa. John was the youngest of six children and is survived by Jean Westra, Lester “Matt” (Barb) Crandle, Albert “Ran” (Bev) Crandle, Jim Crandle and Marilyn (Dave) Glueck, along with several nieces and nephews.
