Paul Shields Crane ’41

Paul Shields Crane, M.D. ’41 of Black Mountain, N.C., died June 12, 2005. He grew up in Korea, the son of Southern Presbyterian missionaries. He attended Pyongyang Foreign School, graduated from Davidson, and received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. He married the former Sophie Earle Montgomery, and they served as medical missionaries in Korea. He was a U.S. Army World War II veteran, and served in Korea as the chief of surgery at the 121st Evacuation Hospital and as commanding officer of the MASH unit later made famous by the TV series. Before the Korean War, he oversaw the building of the Presbyterian Medical Center in Chonju, Korea. He coordinated for the medical services of Wilson Leprosarium, near Yosu, Korea. He was a founding board member of Han Nam University in Teajon, Korea, and served on the board of directors of Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, as well as of the Medical Benevolence Foundation. He authored Korean Patterns, a book on traditional Korean culture. He interpreted for President Kennedy and President Johnson during meetings with President Park of the Republic of Korea. He worked in private surgical practice in Nashville, Tenn., until 1984. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church USA, a member of Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, and a Rotarian. He was preceded in death by his son, William Lancaster Crane. He is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Sophie, 263 Fern Way, Black Mountain, N.C. 28711; children Virginia C. Gleser, John Crane, Tish Rainey, Janet Adams, and Dr. James Crane ’80.