Pamela Kay Craner

Pamela Kay Craner, our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully at home on October 20, 2024, surrounded by her family after a short battle with cancer. 

Pamela was born on January 1, 1962, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Gerald and Vaudis O’Brien. She grew up in Buhl and spent endless hours riding her bike to the Buhl City Pool and running the streets with her siblings. She loved to be outside as a young girl and that never changed as the years passed. She often talked about how she worked in the bean fields with her best friend, Lori Bartlett, but that they were actually working on their tans more than the beans. Growing up, Pamela loved to spend time at her family's cabin in Lowman, Idaho, and one of her fondest memories was saving pennies for a trip to Disneyland after her dad died. 

Pamela was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints February 14, 1975. She served in many callings throughout her life and truly enjoyed working with the youth. 

In January 1980, Pamela married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Chris Craner. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mesa, Arizona Temple on March 14, 1987. In January, they celebrated 44 amazing years together. After being adventurous for several years, they settled in Buhl to raise their family. They had three children; Brandon, Nicole and Trent, but this did not stop them from their adventuring. Spontaneous weekend getaways and Sunday drives with Chris were her favorite. They shared a love many wished they had. After her kids were all attending school, she decided to enroll at Boise State University and commuted back and forth several days a week. She graduated on the Dean’s list with her Bachelor’s Degree in 1995. 

In 2014, Chris and Pamela built their forever home on several acres where all their children have built close by as well. Everybody jokes that the family lives on the “Craner Compound”, but Mom was living her dream with her kids and grandkids. All of her children and grandchildren were just a short walk away from her home and visited daily. In the summer, she enjoyed watching grandkids play sports, boating with her family, spending countless hours in her backyard pool, playing games, and having BBQs on the back patio. Grandma’s house will always be the kids and grandkids favorite place to hang out. 

“Grandma” rarely missed an activity her kids and grandkids were involved in. She traveled all over to watch her granddaughters; Brexlie, Adi, and Kynli play soccer and volleyball and spent most of her summer days at the baseball park watching her oldest grandsons; Chase and Damian play baseball. She loved watching her youngest grandson, Cache, play T-ball, soccer, and flag football this past summer, and was excited to spend summers with her newest granddaughter, Penny. She was her kids and grandkids biggest fan and traveled many, many miles and hours (sometimes in one day) to be in the stands. Years ago, she traveled around with Chris and watched her oldest son, Brandon, at his fishing tournaments. She traveled as far as West Virginia to watch her son, Trent, play college baseball several years ago, and recently traveled to watch her grandson, Damian, play college baseball in Montana. She never let the cancer stop her from doing what she loved. In August, she traveled to Lewiston to watch Chase and Damian play in the State Legion Baseball Tournament and just three weeks ago she was going from one gym to another, and then on to flag football on the same day to watch different grandkids playing. Spending time with her kids and grandkids was her greatest joy. She will be greatly missed in their cheering section. She was best friends with her daughter, Nicole, and spent many late nights shopping and laughing about silly things from the past.

Pamela enjoyed traveling with her sister, Laurie Atkins, and their husbands. Their favorite vacation thus far was Ireland, where they were able to visit some of their family heritage. 

Pamela was preceded in death by her parents, Vaudis Hawkins and Gerald O’Brien; her stepfather Ray Hawkins; her sister, Jeri Ann O’Brien; her sister-in-law, Cassi Jo Craner, and her father-in-law, V. Jerry Craner. 

Pamela is survived by her husband, Chris Craner; her children, Brandon (Jennifer) Craner, Nicole (Logan) Ormond, and Trent (Eva) Craner; and grandchildren, Damian Craner, Chase Craner, Brexlie Ormond, Adi Ormond, Kynli Ormond, Cache Craner and Penelope Craner. 

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, with a visitation beginning at 10:00 am, Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 501 Main Street, Buhl. Burial will conclude at the West End Cemetery, 1574 East Elm Street, Buhl.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Pamela’s memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com.