Obituary of Sigmund William Krane

Sigmund Krane died in Golden Valley, MN on Friday, December 31, 2021 at age 78 of complications from pancreatitis and cardiac disease. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Arnold Krane, and by brothers Scott Krane, Robert Krane and John Krane and sister Randi Krane Kreunen and his dear friend Mary Krane. He is survived by his sister Linda Krane Ellwein, and sisters-in-law Pam Tibbetts, Golden Valley, Marcia Fry Krane, Leawood, KS and Aileen Krane, St. Charles, Il. He is also survived by fourteen loving nieces and nephews in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and California. Sigmund was a cherished friend to many. They knew him as an intelligent, loving, generous and adventurous man.

Sig was born in Madison, WI and moved to Fairfield with his family at the age of 4. He graduated from Fairfield High School in 1961 and received a BA from Parsons College in 1965. He lived in many places, from New York City and Washington DC to San Francisco, but Denver and the Colorado mountains captured his heart for the majority of his adult life. Sig received a PhD in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1977. He spent his sociology research career in various government and non-profits in Boulder, Denver, Washington DC, New York and Minneapolis. Later in life he managed a cooperative condo building in San Francisco.

Sig loved sports, both watching and playing. He was an avid skier, hiker, tennis player and mountain biker and loved to follow college football and basketball and his beloved baseball teams, the Rockies and the Giants. Sig’s life was centered on his family and a wide circle of friends. The Krane brothers and sisters spent hours around the bridge table or playing Pitch with Dad, Hearts with Mom and touch football and pick-up hockey games with each other. He loved to travel and stayed in touch with friends and family from various parts of the country. Sig was an observant and thoughtful friend. He was a kind man who noticed when others needed a boost; he enjoyed celebrating others’ successes.

Family and friends will plan Informal gatherings in Minneapolis, Denver and Fairfield over the upcoming months to celebrate Sigmund’s life with others who loved him. To those who wish to make a memorial contribution in Sig’s name, we suggest a donation to the Fairfield Public Library.