Douglas Keith Cranney

Douglas Keith Cranney, 77 of Oakley, died July 3, 2026, in Logan, UT of complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He passed away peacefully with three of his children at his side. Doug was born on October 16, 1948, in Burley, ID, the 4th son of Willard Duane Cranney III and Rae Clark Cranney. He spent his early years riding horses (including his father’s thoroughbred racehorses beginning in the 5th grade) and working on the family farm and ranch in Oakley.

He attended school in Oakley, where he excelled academically and in athletics, graduating from OHS in 1967. Upon graduation Doug enlisted in the US Army Reserve and quickly shipped off to basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He later served in the National Guard and completed military service in 1973. Doug then enrolled at Utah State University in 1968 where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, played freshman football, and enjoyed intramural athletics. He graduated in 1972 with a B.S. in Political Science. He met his wife Karla at USU and they married in September of 1972. Following their wedding Doug worked through harvest in Oakley while Karla started her senior year. That winter he returned to Logan and student- taught at Skyview High School. After Karla graduated in 1973, they moved to Oakley permanently where he joined his brothers Bill and Mike as partners in Cranney Farms for the next 44 years until his retirement in 2017. The “farm first” mentality and relentless hard work from the three brothers helped weather many storms in the business to carry on the family legacy that started in 1907 to the next generations.

If you know Doug you know he loved sports; basketball, football, track, softball, and running. He played on city league basketball teams in Burley and Rupert for years, until he was the “old guy.” In 1992, at age 44, he trained for and ran his first Goose Creek Run-Off. This started a 25- year running career. He ran thousands of miles around the Oakley valley with his training partners and friends, Richard Hardy and Duff Woodhouse. Doug ran several marathons including the Boston Marathon in 1999. He coached many youth baseball and basketball teams with all his kids. Doug and Karla endlessly supported Oakley High School athletics by attending, donating, and serving on the Booster Club. Doug was a lifelong USU Aggie and loved having season tickets to football and basketball for the last several years of his life. He was a loyal Dodgers fan, listening or watching countless games, even enjoying a couple of playoff and World Series trips with family. You could always count on seeing Doug at any event with popcorn and a Diet Coke.

Doug valued community involvement. He was instrumental in the construction of the Oakley Elementary School and the new football field and track in 1992. He served many years on the board and as president of the Marion Pipeline Company and later Oakley Valley Water Company. He also served in many capacities in his church. He was Young Men’s President multiple times, on the Stake High Council for 9 years and Bishop of Oakley 3rd Ward.

Doug loved farming. He knew and felt God’s power through the land and was meticulous in his care for crops. He loved animals and always had at least one dog, usually Dalmatians, chasing him or riding in the pickup across the valley.

Most importantly he loved his family. He was a great dad, uncle and grandfather. He was married to Karla for just short of 51 years when she died in 2023. Doug was always there for every event for the family, whether dance, sports, academics, Karla’s drill team competitions, he somehow found a way to leave the farm and make it. Showing up was part of his love language.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Willard Duane III and Rae Cranney, brothers Alan and Willard Duane IV (Bill), and his dear wife Karla.

He is survived by children Tyler (Renee) Cranney, Natasya (Chris) Jackson, Trevor (Analise) Cranney, Ali (Ammon) McBride; his 17 grandchildren: Austin, Bentley, Camden and Berlin Cranney; Jett, Trey and Bekam Jackson; Ivy, Oliver, Tristen, Baker, and Zander Cranney; Gavin, Quincy, Parker, Bria and Nixon McBride, and brothers Gary (Lucy) Cranney and Mike (Kathy) Cranney.

The family would like to thank Lisa Asher and the staff of caregivers at Legacy House of Logan for their loving care of Doug in his last years of life.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Cassia County Education Foundation for the Karla Cranney Memorial Scholarship, 3650 Overland Avenue, Burley, ID 83318

A viewing will be held on Sunday, July 12, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Oakley Stake Center and again Monday, July 13th, from 9:30 to 10:30 AM with funeral services to follow at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at the Marion Cemetery.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/z-YkEeqLGbU.