Lt. Col, Edmund “Ned” Hampshire Crandall, USAF (Ret.)

Lt. Col, Edmund “Ned” Hampshire Crandall, USAF (Ret.), 91, of West Point, Mississippi formerly of Big Spring, passed away Friday, December 12, 2025.  He will lie in state Friday, December 19, 2025 from 10:00 am until 9:00 pm at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm.  Funeral services will be at 3:00 pm, Saturday, December 20, 2025 at St. Paul Lutheran Church with interment following at Trinity Memorial Park.

Ned Crandall was born in Elmira, New York on January 19, 1934 to Augustus Pendry Crandall and Elizabeth Mary (Hampshire) Crandall. He was the 3rd of five children, older sister Mary VerWeir, Cliff Crandall, younger brothers Eugene and Ray Crandall. During childhood they lived in Rochester, New York as well as Wayland, and Holley, New York. Ned attended Cornell University where he married Helen Jansch, his wife for 67 years before her death in 2021. While at Cornell, Ned was very involved with music singing in several choirs there, a love he continued for the rest of his life. Following graduation in 1955, he joined the United States Air Force where he became a pilot. During his career he flew the F-86L, T-33, T-37, T-38, F-100 and O-1 Bird Dog. He served as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam from 1967-68. Most of his career was in Big Spring at Webb AFB where he was a T-37 Squadron Commander. He was one of the last officers at Webb AFB, retiring as the base closed down. Following this he worked for many years at Cameo Mobile Homes then was an 8th Grade Math teacher at Runnels Jr. High. Ned also taught bible class at Park Place Retirement while living there.

He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church for many years. Of all that he did, he would say what he did there was the most important part of his life. He was a Christian, a loving husband, a loving father, grandfather, and great grandfather, and a fighter pilot.

He is survived by three children David and Richard Crandall and Karen Thibeault, 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren and by his younger brother Ray Crandall.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and siblings.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home and Crematory.  Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com

To send flowers to the family or place a tree in memory of Lt. Col, Edmund "Ned" Hampshire Crandall, USAF (Ret.), please visit our Tribute Store.