Nathan "Ed" Cranson was born in La Junta, Colorado on December 12, 1956, to Calvin and Mary Cranson. He passed away on March 21 at Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colorado after a two and one-half year battle with lung cancer.

Ed was the youngest of seven children. He grew up on the family farm in La Junta raising pigs and running milk routes for Cranson's Golden Rule Dairy.  Growing up, he was active in La Junta Kid's Rodeo, Mill Iron Wranglers Horse Riding group, and was active in 4-H for over a decade.  Ed graduated from La Junta High School in 1975 and from Colorado State University in 1979, where he was on the CSU Livestock Judging Team and received a degree in Animal Science.

Eddie married his high school sweetheart Denise Pletcher on August 20, 1977. They were blessed with four sons, Jeff (Jaime), Matt (Jacque), Brett, and Trae and seven grandchildren:  Nolan, Cason, Tyler, Kolter, Connor, Kylie, and Baylor.  Spending time with them was his greatest joy.   He was an avid Brush Beetdigger fan and spent many years watching his boys play for the Diggers.  He loved travelling,  gardening, hunting, and taking his boys camping and fishing whenever he had a chance.  He was very proud of the hundreds of ribbons he won for his Dahlias and the several awards he won at the Morgan County Fair for vegetables from his garden.  He was also known around the Brush community for growing giant pumpkins, much to the delight of his grandchildren.

Ed worked in agriculture his entire life, from the dairy to raising hogs, and over thirty years as an Environmental Safety Manager in the chemical fertilizer business.

He was involved in countless professional and community organizations and was very giving of his time, most notably serving on the Morgan County CSU Alumni Association, Brush Lion's Club, Swine Show Announcer at the Morgan County Fair, Rocky Mountain Giant Vegetable Growers Association and the Colorado Dahlia Society. Ed was also a founding member of the Fort Morgan Toastmasters and the Brush Tree Board and helped to organize the Brush Backboard Youth Basketball Club.

Ed is survived by his wife Denise, his children, grandchildren, his mother Mary, brothers Russell (Marla) of Odessa, TX, Tead (Anita) of Monte Vista, sisters Linda (Gayle) Senor of Swink, Susie Turner of La Junta, Mary Ann (Jim) Nichols of Rockport, Indiana, and sister-in-law Janelle Cranson of La Junta as well as sixteen nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his father Calvin, brother Kenny, grandparents N.W. and Ethel Cranson and Sophia Russell.

Services will be at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 25 at the Rankin Presbyterian Church at 420 Clayton Street in Brush. Services will conclude at the church with a reception to follow.  Also, a celebration of life will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, March 26 at the Cowboy Church 26910 Hwy. 109 outside of North La Junta with a reception to follow.  In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that donations be made to the Brush Beetdigger Athletic Programs or local 4-H Foundations in Ed's name in care of Heer Mortuary.