In Memory of CPL Ethan K. Craner, USMC
February 4, 1998 – July 12, 2023
Active Duty – Stationed in Yuma, AZ
Ethan was born on February 4, 1998 in Burley, Idaho.
At the time of his birth, he was the youngest of three children, having two older sisters. To our family he was a true blessing; to his sisters he was a real-life doll to dress up in baby doll clothes and haul around in their doll stroller!
When Ethan was five, he became an older brother; four years later Ethan became a middle child. While being an older brother, Ethan enjoyed picking on his younger siblings, but also picked on his older sisters.
Ethan wasn’t a huge sports player, but in middle school played football when he wasn’t being a trouble maker. When Ethan started high school, he ran track at Murtaugh, but also worked hard bailing hay. In the summer between his sophomore and junior year, Ethan decided to join the poolee list to become a Marine. From his sophomore year to his senior year, Ethan worked hard at his jobs – he worked at Wendy’s then moved onto being a bagger at Smith’s until he graduated. Ethan graduated in 2016 from Magic Valley High School.
On June 21st of 2016 Ethan started his new adventure to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot of San Diego to become a United States Marine and start bootcamp. Ethan graduated bootcamp in September of 2016, later going to A and C schools, for the AV8B Harriers, in Pensacola, Florida and Cherrypoint, North Carolina. After C School, Ethan finally hit the fleet in March of 2017 and was stationed in Yuma, Arizona. In August of 2017 Ethan’s high school sweetheart, Whitney Wilson, moved to Yuma and they got married. October of 2017 was a big month for him – they moved into their first place but also found out they were expecting a baby. In July of 2018 Ethan and Whitney welcomed their baby girl, Adyson Lily Craner.
After she was born, Ethan found out his unit was deploying in 2019. Ethan and Whitney decided to move Adyson and Whitney home for the deployment. In March of 2019, Ethan and Whitney found out they were expecting again, but this time a baby boy. Ethan finally got home in October of 2019 and was able to be home to welcome their son, Lane Ethan Albert Craner, in November of 2019. Ethan found out the AV8B Harriers were going to be retiring so he needed to make a huge career decision, stay in the Marine Corps or get out. Ethan decided to stay in and moved to the F-35s in 2021. Not long after changing jets, still being an aviation mechanic, Ethan found out his new unit would be deploying in 2022, with MANY workups, including going to Alaska. In November of 2022 Ethan would deploy again, this time on a MEU with the F-35s. In June of 2023, Ethan finally returned home.
From his obituary: Growing up Ethan enjoyed going camping and being with his family and friends. He spent countless hours playing semi-trucks with his friends as they over took Rick and Marty’s driveway making roads for their semi-trucks. Later, some of his favorite and most talked about memories were the times spent on the cattle truck with his dad. At a young age, he could operate and find his way around any truck or tractor better than most around him. As Ethan grew into a teenager his love for farming and trucking continued as he worked for Terry in the summers bailing hay.
Ethan met Whitney Wilson in October of 2013 and fell in love. They married on August 28, 2017 and began their married life in Yuma, Arizona where Ethan was stationed in the United States Marine Corps.
In July of 2018 Ethan became a father to his beautiful daughter Adyson, whom he cherished more than anything else. He took his roll of being a father very seriously. A year later in November of 2019 he was blessed with his handsome son Lane. Ethan was head over heels to be a dad and strived to be the best father he could be.
Ethan became an aviation mechanic for the AV-8B Harrier and later cross trained over to the F-35. He strived to be the best in his field of work and he took great pride in keeping top qualification so he knew his Marine Corps brothers were always safe.
Throughout his seven year career he went on two deployments: the first being to Bahrain in 2019 and then just recently returning from the Western Pacific.
As a child and as an adult, Ethan was always the class clown, the most playful and goofy, the one to make anyone laugh or smile.
His resting place is Snake River Canyon National Cemetery in Buhl, Idaho, his home state.
