Women - Hunterdon County, New Jersey

ALMENA CRANE
A Cornell University home economics/education major, Almena Crane probably
never imagined what an extraordinary life she would lead when she arrived in Pittstown,
NJ as a young bride in 1930 to begin life with her new husband, Donald, on their 200acre
poultry farm.
Tragically, 12 years later in 1942, she found herself a widow with two young
children. Almena made a major decision to operate the farm on her own, which she did
until 1973 when she moved to Flemington.
Thus began a chain of events leading to involvement and awards from numerous
agricultural and other organizations, which would keep her busy until the end of her life
on 20 October, 1993.
After being named "NJ's Mother of the Year" in 1955, she said to her daughter
regarding her many activities: "They aren't the sort of things you do for glory. You do
them because they have to be done."
In 1939 she became president of Franklin Township School P.T.A., and at 85 was
its oldest surviving past president.
She began serving on the Hunterdon County Library Commission in 1943, retiring in
1965, but continuing her close association through Friends of the Library until 1973.
She was chosen runner up "NEPPCO Poultry Woman of the Year" (Northeastern
Poultry Producers Council Exposition) in 1956.
At a convention of the Associated Country Women of the World in 1959, she
represented the U.S. Farm Bureau in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Mrs. Crane held membership in various organizations: Rural Advisory Council,
State Department of Agriculture, Executive Committee of the Hunterdon County Board
of Agriculture, and National Women's Committee of the American Farm Bureau
Federation. She was past president of the NJ Associated Women of Agriculture, and
vice-chair of the American Farm Bureau Women. Mrs. Crane helped spearhead the
organization of North Hunterdon Regional High School and Hunterdon Medical Center.
In 1990 she was in her 37 th year as a member of the Board of Trustees at Hunterdon
Medical Center.
While Mrs. Crane had taken painting courses as a coed at Cornell University, she
didn't paint again until after her library retirement in 1973, when she began painting farm
and seashore themes in oils and acrylics.
Mrs. Crane worked on a radio program for senior citizens. As the Wheel Turns was
pre-recorded and transmitted to the airwaves five days per week from Hunterdon
Central Regional High School.
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