Happy Birthday Mother 1925-2009

My mother Kerma Dean Craner Bernard was born September 29, 1925. In January of 2011, she will have been gone 2 years. I miss her, but knowing she is with my father and my sister Andrea and so many other of our extended family , I cannot mourn her absence, but my memories of her are very tender indeed.

My mother grew up in Emmett Idaho. There were 6 children in her family. 4 girls and 2 boys.

As a young teenage girl she would rise early before school and return after school to work in the towns bakery, making doughnuts and other scrumtious morsels earning 5 cents an hour. This is where she learned to decorate cakes. Consequentely my older sister and I both learned to decorate wedding cakes among other delectables from watching her provide beautiful cakes and desserts for so many weddings and other special events.

Her father owned the local shoe shop. She worked very hard there during high school, and during the war after she and my father were married. Because of the work ethic that was instilled at such a young age, she was a real work horse.

After mom and dad moved to Mountain Home she worked as a deputy sherriff for 9 years at the county sherriffs office. This was convienent since my father was a Idaho State patrolman. She also worked in the courts in Twin Falls and Boise until she retired.

Mom was a wonderful seamstress, and a good cook. I was 5 years old when we had 26 different missionaries living in our basement over a two and a half year period. And though they had a small kitchenette, when ever the aromas from my mothers kitchen reached the elders, we very often had them join our dinner table with my mothers open invitation.

Mother had a very generous nature. She was very giving and would do anything for her children, husband, extended family, and neighbors. She had a very spunky personality at times, and when she made her mind up about something, there would be no dispute about it.

We called that "The Craner Stubborness". There was one that could always calm and soothe her though , and that was my father. She laid eyes on him at the end of the hallway in the 8th grade and at that very moment she knew that he was the one for her.

I was blessed to have mother live with me in my home with my family for 9 years. I know what you are thinking. Yes, there were bitter sweet moments, but the sweetness far out weighed any times that were not so sweet. When she left my home, there was a great spiritual void. Something I remember her saying often was "When the prophet speaks, the debate is over". She was faithful to God, and kept her covenants. Many were the times I would watch as she carefully washed and prepared her clothing to attend the temple.

She served in the Boise temple for several years where my father served as a sealer, and continued to do so after he passed away for 4 years. Dad also served as the Stake Patriarch, and mother was his scribe. Many admired her elegance. She was near perfection when it came to her looks. Never a hair out of place. Because of my mother, I am much of what I am today. I am better because of her, and have been changed for good ....