Lee Ronald McCracken

Lee Ronald McCracken 93, passed away on Friday, September 15 at Syringa Place.

Lee was born in the front bedroom of the house at 847 Walnut Street on December 4, 1929, the only son of Lee Douglas McCracken and Elva Elizabeth Cazier McCracken.  Lee was proud of his pioneering heritage, being the third generation of his family to live in Twin Falls.  He was equally proud that there are now six generations of his family here.  He attended schools in Twin Falls.

At the age of 14 he went to work at Mountain Telephone and Telegraph Company.  At the age of 21 he was granted a leave of absence and served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Upon his return he went back to work at the telephone company as a lineman where he helped run the cables to the farming community around Buhl and Castleford, giving them their first phone service.  It was at the telephone company that he met his future wife when he went to repair her switchboard.

He married Pauline Crane on September 19, 1957, for time and eternity in the Logan Temple.  They were married for 63 years before her passing in 2020.

Lee proudly served in the National Guard of Idaho and was honorably discharged in 1954.

In his early years he performed in many community theater productions and sang in many choirs and quartets with his beautiful bass voice.  He and Pauline sang for many funerals, weddings, and church services.

He continued to work for the telephone company until he retired as a supervisor in the late 1980’s.  After realizing that he was too young to retire he soon went to work for a telephone company buddy at Dad’s Telephone.  He worked there until he was no longer able to climb under houses and into attics.

Lee was an active member of the LDS Church all his life.  He served in the bishopric at a young age and then served as a ward clerk for five bishops.  He later served as the stake clerk for ten years.  In his 70’s he discovered the Extraction Program and would spend ten hours a day doing extraction work.  He helped train many of the people working in the program and submitted thousands of names to the genealogical library.  He walked the entire Twin Falls Cemetery and using their records submitted every interment to Find a Grave database.  He finally gave up this important work when he turned 90.

He was a good and honest man.  He set many examples for his family.

He is survived by his four children Jennifer Austin of Twin Falls, Dennis of Salt Lake City, Michael of Woodland Park, CO and Alan of Hampton VA, his grandchildren Hailey, Jasmine, Tori, Christopher, Mallory, William and Henry and his 6 great grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his wife in 2020, his parents, his half-brother T C Blacker and his half-sister Alberta McCauley.  He was the last of his generation.

We would like to thank the staff at Bridgeview Estates, Syringa Place and Shirley and the staff of Enhabit Hospice for all their care and concern.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 23rd at the Pilar Falls Ward Building, 2085 S Temple Dr with Bishop Jerry Naylor conducting.  A viewing will be held from 11:00–11:45 and the service will begin at noon.  Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Park.  Funeral arrangements under the direction of Rosenau Funeral Home.